iron stand cloth cover_a round table cover

Design and Aesthetic Considerations

Ultimately, the square manhole cover invites us to consider the complexity of urban life. It challenges traditional notions of design and provokes thought on how we interact with the spaces around us. While it may seem like a trivial topic, the decision to use square covers can be a reflection of deeper design philosophies and priorities within urban development.

Manholes are usually round, primarily because roundness is the best shape to resist the compression of the earth; covers are round because they are easier to manufacture than square or rectangular shapes, they are easier to move by rolling, and they can't fall into the opening.^[5] But in the United Kingdom they are nearly always square, or rectangular, in shape, at least at street level. Manholes can also be found in a triangular shape (e.g. in Cambridge, and surrounding villages).^[6]