d e s i g n s t a t e m e n t
The thesis focuses on employing the architectural lens of liminality to question how space can unite divided communities and change people’s hearts.
I would like to thank Bill Tate, Jori Erdman, Dijia Chen, and Nick Brinen for helping produce this Architectural Design Senior Thesis and Honors Capstone Thesis. This has been a great learning experience. I would also like to thank James Madison University, College of Visual and Performing Arts, the School of Art, Design, and Art History, and the Honors College.
Thank you!
Liminal space is a lens of architectural interrogation, which forged this thesis project. When considered, it implies separation, designation, and ambiguity, leading to the idea of an edge, which inspired the interest in choosing a site that is divided within itself. Steven Holl explains that “surrounding architecture has a major effect on your inner layer of body, brain, and mind.” (1) The thesis employs this tool of working in order to examine resolutions that solve the issue of societal conflict specifically in regards to religion and mental health.
The site is located in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the heart of The Troubles, which is a semi-on-going religious conflict between the Protestant and Catholic religions. In the 1960’s, the government constructed Peace Walls, which are thirty feet tall barriers separating the Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods around the city to bring peace to society. Due to the long duration, Wall Disease, a psychological disorder that causes the dehumanization of unseen people, has occurred and is causing a perpetuating alienation between the two religions. This project calls for an architectural intervention that aims to bring humanity to the two religions/communities and change the hearts of the people.
The intervention consists of two to four person habitual architectural insertions into the Peace Walls that focus on the human-line-of-sight. By designing with this scale, it promotes visual and audible interaction and discourse between both sides of the wall. This idea of communication prompts the participants to learn and engage on a personal level to develop relationships that begin on common-ground. Through the process of relationship building, it allows the communities to mentally process and heal from their experiences of The Troubles, uniting the neighborhoods.
Figure 2. The incision threshold of the intervention
Figure 3. The intervention connection within the wall
But my tentative art
His turned back watches too: He was blown to bits
Out drinking in a curfew
Others obeyed, three nights After they shot dead
The thirteen men in Derry.
PARAS THIRTEEN, the walls said, BOGSIDE NIL. That Wednesday
Everybody held Their breath and trembled.
It was a day of cold Raw silence, windblown
Surplice and soutane: rained-on , flower laden Coffin after coffin
Seemed to float from the door Of the packed cathedral
Like blossoms on slow water. The common funeral Unrolled its swaddling band, Lapping, tightening
Till we were braced and bound Like brothers in a ring.
3 Heaney, Seamus. “Casualty.”
4 U2, Bloody Bloody Sunday, 1982.
5 Joan Miro, Miro I Work Like A Gardener, (New York: Princeton Architectural Press), 26.
6 Heaney, Seamus. “Casualty.”
Seamus Heaney, an Irish poet, documents the experiences of The Troubles through the form of poetry. The poem, Casualty, was written in the 1970’s during the traumatic times of The Troubles. Specifically, it captures the moment of Bloody Sunday, which was a massacre inflicted by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in 1972.
Through poetry, the lines evoke the emotions felt by the loss of so many civilians. It captures the dedication of the people to their community, while bringing to light the extreme separation of the city. The poem discusses the Parachute Regiment (IRA, PARAS) blowing “to bits” the author’s friend after they murdered thirteen unarmed civilians. (3) This highly politically driven event becomes associated with tragic death, which causes the reader to question “how long must we sing this song?” as U2’s song Bloody Bloody Sunday states. (4) It forces the reader to re-evaluate the importance of politics and people/loved ones.
After the massacre, the poet recalls “everyone held their breath and trembled,” alluding to the terror that the people alive experienced, speaking to a moment of stillness. Joan Miro discusses the beauty of stillness. He says that “stillness strikes me..[it] makes me think of great spaces in which movement takes place, which do not stop at a given moment, movements which have no end.” (5) This moment of holding their breath evokes stillness, a moment in the mind of comprehension, of understanding the circumstance without reacting.
As Heaney pictures the funeral, he emphasizes the coffins and the amount of time that it takes to bring all thirteen caskets into the church; however, even though there was a long duration of time required for the event, the cathedral was “packed,” which explains that these people were loved and important to others. (6)
The thesis employs liminal space as a tool of resolution between the religious conflict by utilizing the unseen to develop interactions between the Protestant and Catholic communities in order to mentally, religiously, and physically heal the society.
It questions the current social status of the city of Belfast in order to determine the underlying causes of the present situation. Through historical research of the conflict, it was realized that a great amount of psychological issues and religious problems were directly impacted leading to the final topic determinations. The project questions how can liminal space bring peace to a broken society through explorations in mental health and religious association?
Through a circular design process, the thesis developed and guided itself through questioning, researching, writing, iterating, layering, moving, scaling, mapping, ordering, and then closing the circle’s loop with questioning again. This non-linear approach to conducting the research project provided an openopportunity to engage many theoretical topics into the field of architecture. It allowed tangents to occur to find other connections, which then directly or indirectly informed the project.
Specifically, liminal space is the architectural lens employed, which focuses on the in-between and gray space that exists within society. Merriam-Webster defines “liminal” as “relating to, or situated at a sensory threshold: barely perceivable or capable of eliciting a response.” (7) Another definition explores it as “relating to, or being an intermediate state, phase, or condition.” (8) It is connected to the words “in-between” and “transitional.” (9) When considered, it implies separation, designation, and ambiguity, leading to the idea of an edge, which inspired the interest in choosing a site that is divided within itself. Spaces of conflict and division develop extreme experiences of turmoil, leading to mental distress and hurtful memories. Due to this developing tension in a site of this type, mental health plays a large role in the culture of the community and has the ability to drastically change it. Eiko Fried, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Amsterdam, states “biological features often occur together in nature because the presence of one property tends to favor the presence of another, forming clusters… symptoms co-occur because the presence of one likely leads to others.” (10) So, due to the long duration of perpetual turmoil within the country, the city has become a “homeostatic property cluster” for mental health trauma. (11) Additionally, conflicts and divisions are typically driven by a disagreement between societies, especially the topic of religion. Emotional well-being and religion are entangled together. When in times of uncertainty, people look towards a higher-being to reduce their concerns and bring peace to them. Leadership Ministeries, a Christian organization, writes that “our comfort through uncertainty is God’s unfailing and faithful love.” (12) The Christian religion continues to reassure God’s faithfulness to people for a good life. As the Bible states in Jeremiah 29:11, “‘for I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’” (13) This ideology of having faith in a higher-being during difficult situations brings to light the strong religious affiliations within the confines of the conflict. These threads of connections between theories, words, and actions are the driving forces of developing this thesis.
7 Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. “liminal,” accessed April 20, 2023, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liminal.
8 Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v. “liminal.”
9 Ibid.
10 Eiko Fried, What are Psychological Constructs? On The Nature and Statistical Modelling of Emotions, Intelligence, Personality Traits and Mental Disorders, Health Psychology Review: Volume 11, Issue 2, May 1, 2017, Pages 131, https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2017.1306718.
11 Eiko Fried, What are Psychological Constructs? On The Nature and Statistical Modelling of Emotions, Intelligence, Personality Traits and Mental Disorders.
12 Dealing with Uncertainty, Leadership Ministries Inc., March 15, 2020, Accessed May 21, 2023, https://leadmin.org/articles/dealing-with-uncertainty.
13 Jeremiah, 29:11
Figure 5. Cupar Way Peace Wall Division
Location was a major factor to determine for this project, which required research into areas of conflict and their origins. Locations around the world were analyzed to gain an understanding of why conflicts exist at borders. The wall built in-between Israel and Palestine has prevented small trade and movement between countries for closely connected cities on both sides of the barrier. This has caused the Palestinians to become “invisible,” inducing societal disruption. (14) The Mexico/United States border wall is designed through the concept of “prevention-through-deterrence,’’ which was embraced by the Clinton administration. (15) The idea was to prevent immigrants from entering the USA in a safe location, driving them to walk across lifethreatening conditions, which brings into context the worth of human life. (16) Moving to the Berlin Wall, the remnants of the structures creates a scar within the city that continues to remind the people of their horrific legacy. It is an undeveloped section of the city that has elevated amounts of robberies and unemployment. (17)
Through intense research of separation conflict zones, Belfast, Northern Ireland possesses unique qualities. The city has been through 30+ years of conflict called the Troubles. It originated in the 1960’s during the annual Derry Apprentice Boys march due to tension between the Protestant and Catholic religions. (18) During the late 1960’s Peace Walls were erected between the Protestant and Catholic communities in order to reduce the assassinations, bombings, and rioting. These walls stand approximately
14 Jessica Wapner, “Do Walls Change How We Think?,” The New Yorker, Annals of Inquiry, March 28, 2019, Accessed March 8, 2023, https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-inquiry/do-walls-change-how-we-think.
15 Paulina Ochoa Espejo, On Borders, Oxford University Press, 2020, Page 280, doi: 10.1093/ oso/9780190074197.001.0001.
16 Paulina Ochoa Espejo, On Borders.
17 Ray Moseley, “Berlin Wall is Down, But German Crime Up,” Chicago Tribune, Jul. 7, 1991, Accessed April 21, 2023, https://www. chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-07-079103170487-story.html.
18 “What You Need to Know About The Troubles,” Imperial War Museums, Accessed March 9, 2023, https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/whatyou-need-to-know-about-the-troubles.
19 Dijia Chen, Desk Critique, February, 2023.
20 “What You Need to Know About The Troubles.”
21 Ibid.
22 United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Joint Declaration (Downing St. Declaration), John Major and Albert Reynolds. Department of Foreign Affairs, 1993. Accessed March 9, 2023. https://www.dfa.ie/media/dfa/alldfawebsitemedia/ ourrolesandpolicies/northernireland/peace-process--joint-declaration-1993.pdf.
23 “What You Need to Know About The Troubles.”
thirty feet tall, consisting of concrete, I-beams, steel, and mesh, and have become “scars” within the city since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. (19) The Irish Republican Army (IRA) conducted many of the high-profile attacks throughout the conflict. (20) The Joint Declaration was written by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK), John Major and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, Albert Reynolds, who were determined to bring peace to their countries. (21) The document was written to politically bring peace to the two nations. The document states “the ending of division can come about only through the agreement and co-operation of the people, North and South, representing both traditions in Ireland.” (22) Unfortunately, the document failed and another bombing occurred afterward. A few years later, the Good Friday Agreement was created,which politically brought the Troubles to a close; however, physically and mentally the conflict lives on within the city. (23) The significance of this region intertwines itself with the circular questioning that occurred prior to deciding upon the site.
Figure 7. Collage of the Troubles history
Figure 8. Collage of the Peace Walls
Figure 9. Collage of the repercussions of the Troubles
Figure 10. Collage exploring potential interaction opportunities within the spatial constructs
g i n g s o c i e t y . . .
During the process of researching the Troubles, collage became an apparent medium to document the information (fig. 8 & 9). Tatiana Bilbao, a world renowned architect, believes that collage enables “her practice to move towards questions of architecture’s representation of life, aesthetics, and a material world.” (24) By using imagery, textiles, drawings, paint, and other mediums combined, it begins to bring a deeper understanding of the society as a whole.
The act of collage became the process of documenting emotional and physical destruction that resulted from the Troubles through the method of a timeline and images (fig. 6 & 7). The medium visually captured the emotional turmoil that was inflicted in the city among all ages of habitants (fig. 9). It is very disheartening to see the vast age group affected by this event and the ways they were forced to live for years. It also was able to depict the physical destruction of bombs and the harm that came from these acts of violence. Through 3D collage techniques, the brokenness of the communities and the catastrophic reparations are examined through materiality studies (fig. 11-16).
Looking forwards into the future of Belfast, the act of collage became an important part of the representation, due to the ability to stitch the old and the new together into one (fig. 10, 17, & 18). The collages were able to begin displaying a futuristic dream of the actions that properly designed architecture can promote, which in the case of this project is discourse. The images contain light and shadow (representing line-of-sight), architectural intervention (puncturing the liminal), people (interaction and communication), and materiality differences (signifying new and old). Through the action of collage, visual understanding of the society can be formed and explained.
Le Corbusier employed the act of collage “as the basis for the plastic expression of the exact and equilibrated relations that govern his paintings and of the ‘correct and magnificent masses brought together in light’ that determine his architecture.” (25) The act of collage almost takes on the idea of peering through a window, looking outwards. This plasticity allows for diverse points of view and interpretations of the society, which leads to thought provoking opportunities of exploration.
Figure 12. Moment of materiality collage
Figure 13. Study of materiality shadows and folds
Figure 11. Collage of materiality insertions
Figure 14. Collage of materiality combinations
Figure 15. Moment within materiality connections
Figure 16. Exploring light reflection materials
Figure 18. Collage of futuristic human interaction with the intervention
26 Luis Alberto Urrea, Borders Are Liminal, Krista Tippett/On Being, (2018; Podcasts), Podcast.
27 Luis Alberto Urrea, Borders Are Liminal.
28 Ibid.
29 Ibid.
30 Hannah Scott, Liminal Spaces, Shoreline City Leadership Talks, (2022; Podcasts), Podcast.
31 Psalm 147:3
32 “The Healing of Memories,” The Carolina Study Center, Accessed May 2, 2023, https:// www.carolinastudycenter.com/sermons-2/ the-healing-of-memories/
33 Eugen Herrigel, Zen In The Art of Archery, (New York: Random House, 1953), 21.
34 Interview: William Tate
Initially, research was conducted into liminal space theory, psychology of mental health, and site opportunities, interconnecting their topics and discoveries as the research progressed. Luis Alberto Urrea, a prolific and acclaimed writer, states that border walls are liminal spaces due to the barrier being a “place of pressure, where two things meet.” (26) The border is a space that is fluid and stubborn, while mutating and troubling. (27) It can be a lethal region that is not even a region. (28) Additionally, it can be a place of enthusiasm and excitement, it is an edge that defines the change from one culture to another. (29) Its thickness is undetermined, its a space of uncertainty that allows for fluid transfers and movement. This prevents the site from sitting stagnant and instead promotes transitions of continuous change. This idea of an ever-changing space leads into Hannah Scott’s opinions of the concept of liminal. Scott is a pastor and believes that the in-between fosters “growth” because the space of emptiness and uncertainty forces people to trust a higher power and dive deeper into understanding themselves personally. (30) This interrogation allows people to heal from hurtful memories. Psalm 147:3 states the Lord “heals the brokenhearted, and He binds up their wounds.” (31) Religion is an unseen space that combats discomfort and through the Christian religion it brings people to a place of peace. According to Stephen Crotts, a pastor at the Carolina Study Center, “Christ can heal the mind…God can heal your memories by applying the marvelous spiritual eraser of Christ’s atonement.” (32)
There is also a need for controlled breathing when placed into uncertain situations as Eugen Herrigel says. He claims that through “breathing you will not only discover the source of all spiritual strength but will also cause this source to flow more abundantly.” (33) By breathing with intention, it can prepare the mind and body for resolution through spiritual means, empowering liminality. This subtle variation of space between breaths controls how people operate and perceive their surroundings. By employing the concept of fluidity of space, personal growth through religion, and intentional breathing, it moves the project into a realm of “changing hearts.” (34)
Figure 20. Analysis of impacts of light and shadow on human emotions
Figure 21. Analysis of impacts of light and shadow on human emotions
Healing is a major topic in mental health that was discussed with two psychology majors at James Madison University. Laura is a graduated psychology major, currently working as a therapist. She defined trauma as “anything that causes distress” and went on to discuss that anything can cause trauma, it is all dependent on how the individual reacts to the situations. As a therapist and a client, she explained that group-therapy is intimidating when discussing extreme personal trauma. Thus, she advised that a support group is necessary; however, individual therapy removes judgment and fosters a healing environment. She thought that individual therapy would be more successful for the people living along borders. (35)
She discussed that trauma in a scientific lens cannot be healed; however, through a behavioral lens, a person is able to “work-around” the experiences. (36) So, this idea that liminal space has the ability to heal, is really focused on providing a spatial opportunity for people to work around their experiences in order to grow from them. The concept of exploring the psyche through the behavioral lens views the mind in a way of hope and possibility. Laura said that through the behavioral concept people can be open-minded and willing to make improvements, to the point of retraining the mind. (37) By aspiring to change and heal from trauma, people can work around their painful memories and grow from them in a beneficial way. By being in-between two cultures and two vast differences in experiences and opinions, it unlocks the possibility of developing relationships that lead to productive understandings.
Maggie Hickey, a senior James Madison University psychology major, explains the need for building a community in order to heal/cope with mental health disorders. She states that “habitual therapy” is the most successful for healing barrier wall trauma for a community due to the routine repetitive qualities of the therapy. (38) Since barrier walls inject into the surrounding communities a limbo of uncertainty and drastic change in living styles, Maggie discussed that societal pressures causes mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). (39) Additionally, “extreme economic experiences can cause mental health issues,” which is a very prevalent issue at border walls. (40) During the interview, color palettes were discussed and their impact on emotions. She said that warm tones “opens people to be willing to share their thoughts.” (41) This is important to know when deciding on what will spark interest, open people up, and foster a safe environment. This knowledge guided the decision making process regarding the location, size, color, and function of the intervention.
Identifying the exact location of the intervention was based on previous research completed on the subjects encapsulating the thesis. Since the space must be in an accessible location to promote habitual therapy, the Peace Wall on Cupar Way was chosen due to this being the heart of the conflict (fig. 22 & 23). (42) Because the barrier is 0.84 miles long, several insertions will be placed within acceptable walking distances in order to enhance the accessibility. (43) Additionally, by placing the intervention within the wall that separates Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods, it allows for the separated communities to interact more effectively.
The size of the intervention was questionable because of the diverse range of functional possibilities; however, since self-healing therapy is more effective in a small group environment according to Maggie and Laura, the intervention was determined to house no more than two people on either side of the wall at a time. The two person rule creates a comfortable space for an individual, but also offers the option of having an emotional support person.
Since the project is located outdoors in a pedestrian friendly location, the spatial constructs are designed for natural ventilation and lighting. This provides the understanding to the habitants that this is a functional sculpture of interaction. It becomes a moment, a hospital, a meditation space, and a school in a small space in-between a wall.
Similar to religion, healing the mind is a perpetual process that takes durations of time. It involves self-examination of the good and bad, which can be a painful process. By placing the interventions within the liminal, it connects both religions, lavishing time together.
42 Experiencing Belfast, directed by The Great Courses, (2020; Belfast: The Great Courses, 2020) Documentary.
43 Cupar Way, Belfast Ireland, Google Earth, Accessed April 7, 2023, https://earth.google.com/ web/search/cupar+way+belfast+ireland/@54.60 326301,-5.95382382,23.83401232a,3068.1819 9755d,35y,21.22583786h,0t,0r/data=CigiJgokCQqzrSvs00BAEQqzrSvs00DAGToac1YQnEdAIVJulsNUu1DA.
Figure 22. Collage of location with emphasis on North-Western portion of Belfast, Northern Ireland in plan view
Figure 23. Collage mapping examination of the Cupar Way Peace Wall in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Wandering back to the action of discovery, research was conducted on Northern Ireland regarding mental health statistics. Psychologists found that 70% of adults “have experienced a mental health problem in the last 12 months” (44) and 39% of people claim that they have experienced at least one traumatic event related to the Troubles. (45) These numbers display the crisis that exists in Northern Ireland and the people need help. Overall Northern Ireland has 25% higher mental health problems than any other part of the UK. These statistics allude to the idea that the Troubles has really affected the people of Northern Ireland and the UK has not done very much to try to bring the people to reconciliation.
Zooming in towards the locations of the Peace Walls, a study found that people who reside near a barrier are 19% more likely to be using antidepressants and 39% more likely to be on anti-anxiety medications (fig. 24). (46) Additionally, due to the mental toll that these separation barriers induce on the neighboring habitants, there is a high amount of deprivation, substance misuse, and suicide rates. (47) This homeostatic property cluster of mental health issues stem from the Peace Walls, which excites the need for action to break it apart and bring peace to the neighborhoods.
In addition to statistics, the border wall is plagued with ideologies that stigmatize the space. Crossing the border is associated with seeking asylum; however, it quickly becomes associated with the slums since the immigrants possess very little monetary values. The wall psychologically fosters violence amongst the people living within its shadow. Coming to the light, Tatiana Bilbao says that “space provides mental peace” and develops distinct identities instead of perpetuating stereotypes. (48) Architecture has the ability to grasp the human psyche and begin the process of healing society.
44 “70% of adults have experienced a mental health problem in the last 12 months,” Mental Health Foundation, United Kingdom Government, Accessed March 8, 2023, https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/about-us/news/70-adults-northernireland-have-experienced-mental-health-problemlast-twelve-months.
45 Siobhan O’Neil, Mental Health in Northern Ireland: An Urgent Situation, The Lancet Psychiatry: Volume 5, Issue 12, Nov. 8, 2018, Pages 965-966, https://doi.org/10.1016/S22150366(18)30392-4.
46 Jessica Wapner, “Do Walls Change How We Think?.”
47 Ibid.
48 Tatiana Bilbao, Tatiana Bilbao Estudio, (Louisiana: Lars Muller, 2020), 71.
Figure 24. Ink analysis of pyschological disorders caused by barrier insertions in communities and their approximation of location
Figure 25. Study of interconnectivity of words associated with barriers and mental health issues
On top of the large numbers of mental health statistics, Wall Disease is a psychological disorder that is dispersed by the Peace Walls. Jessica Wapner, a published author specializing in the human lens, states that barriers “significantly affect” people’s mental health and that there is an epidemic in close proximity to border walls. (51) These conditions involve “elevated levels of depression and feelings of isolation and despair…triggering alcoholism, psychosis, schizophrenia, and suicide,” which is in line with the use of medications previously discussed. (52)
Originally, the Peace Walls were built to be temporary barriers; however, as the conflict progressed the structures became permanent, prolonging the lifespan and thus causing Wall Disease. This disorder is developed over many years of the wall remaining in place. It must stay steadfast long enough for people to forget what it was like without the barrier and they must forget about the people that live on the other side. In 2013, the government scheduled for all the Peace Walls to be dismantled by 2023; however, at least twenty-two of the massive walls still stand in the north-west section today. It does not appear as though they will be leaving anytime soon. Grassroot organizations have been at work, trying to remove the barriers; however, the government remains unhelpful. The Duncairn Community Partnership (DCP) promotes “active dialog across the interface communities, empowering local residents.” (53) The barriers consist of concrete, steel, and mesh materials, which imply their steadfast resolution (fig. 30-33).
51 Rodrigo Ortega, “Jessica Wapner’s Wall Disease Unravels How Border Walls Affect the Mind,” The Open Notebook, March 2, 2021, Accessed March 8, 2023, https://www.theopennotebook.com/2021/03/02/jessica-wapners-wall-disease-unravels-how-border-walls-affect-the-mind/.
52 Rodrigo Ortega, “Jessica Wapner’s Wall Disease Unravels How Border Walls Affect the Mind.”
53 Maria McLintock, “The Peace Walls at The Centre of Recent Unrest in Northern Ireland,” Failed Architecture,June 8, 2021, Accessed May 2, 2023, https://failedarchitecture.com/the-peacewalls-at-the-centre-of-recent-unrest-in-northernireland/.
54 Steven Gratten, “Northern Ireland Still Divided By Peace Walls 20 Years After Conflict,” The World, Jan. 14, 2020, Accessed May 2, 2023, https://theworld.org/stories/2020-01-14/northernireland-still-divided-peace-walls-20-years-afterconflict.
Even though the Peace Walls are the cause of Wall Disease, this project is not advocating for the complete removal of the structures due to social research. In 2021, a large wall was removed and afterwards it became a scene of violence, indicating the people were not emotionally ready for the wall to be entirely removed. Brennan, a local resident, says “I live on a peace wall and I feel safer with those walls up.” (54) His opinion is very valid, even if walls have been proven to not be as effective as we think, they do have the ability to create a false sense of security.
Figure 31. Peace Wall
Figure 32. Peace Wall
Figure 33. Peace Wall
These topics of line-of-sight, mental trauma, and alienation, moved the project into a three-dimensional realm of study. The process of mapping began to visually indicate physical and conceptual subjects within the most affected areas of the Troubles (fig. 36-42). First, the Peace Walls and gates were located, then the neighborhoods of the differing religions were positioned according to census information. Additionally, major roads were indicated and the sites of Protestant and Catholic churches. Schools, housing, and waterways were mapped. Additionally, the psychological impact of the Cupar Way Peace Wall was visually displayed to explain the impact that the wall projects onto the habitants (fig. 40). Through this process of information collection, it provided the understanding of the ways that the communities are physically and emotionally divided.
It was found that the walls close off perpendicular roads by the use of steel gates, preventing cars and pedestrians from passing through, called the “no-go-zone.” Additionally, the walls are mostly located next to a road; however, there were two barriers found that were in-between houses within a neighborhood. Additionally, many houses were used as a physical wall themselves and then steel gates were placed in-between the houses to prevent people from passing through. The majority of the city consists of Protestant communities with Catholic neighborhoods displaced throughout; however, the Protestant and Catholic churches are equally represented. The schools are all located on the edges of Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods, which is perplexing due to the high violence potential of the edge.
The city is not plotted on a grid system, but instead it appears to have developed randomly as the city grew in population. According to Dr. Hu, an anthropology professor at James Madison University, this city shows evidence that it is unplanned due to the curved roads, varying sized residential blocks, multiple centers of religious and cultural activity, and no unified geometric scheme. (61) The action of mapping the city in a three-dimensional way produced unforeseen discoveries that pushed the project towards a successful intervention.
Pulling the map upwards, a larger scaled section of Cupar Way was mapped to explore the physical insertion of the wall (fig. 39, 43-48). The barrier undulates, following the non-traditional road design. The materiality of concrete visually explains the mass of the Peace Walls. Additionally, the ink represents the language of the society as it only appears on one side of the wall, indicating the break down of communication. Integrations of additional materials allow for the concrete to bend, compensating for the curves. The cracks and separations within the concrete unravel the extreme division between the two spaces, allowing the fragmentation to produce pockets of sight.
Additionally, the fragment spatial models were then inserted, laid, rotated, and wrapped into the concrete structure to begin experimentation of intervention insertions. The placements consider the crazy, abstract, unrealistic possibilities of arrangement, as well as, literal reality positions. By this process of orientation, it provided a vast range of possibilities, which began to inform the final incisions into the wall.
Figure 37. Mapping of roads and waterways
Figure 38. Mapping of housing, churches, religions, main roads, waterways, peace walls, and schools
Figure 39. Larger scale of Cupar Way Peace Wall deconstructed
Figure 40. Neighborhood housing and Peace Walls
Figure 41. Major roadways
Figure 42. Religious designations, schools, and gateways through walls
Figure 51. Integrated neighborhoods
Figure 50. Catholic neighborhoods
Figure 49. Protestant neighborhoods
62 “City of Belfast and Maps,” Wesley Johnston, 1992, Accessed March 11, 2023, https://www. wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/geography/ belfast.html.
63 “City of Belfast and Maps.”
64 Ibid.
In terms of the residential life in Belfast, the city is broken into clear divisions of Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods. These communities consist of unsettling numbers regarding religious affiliation. The wards, that are predominantly Protestant are (fig. 49): Woodvale (99.5%), Shankill (99.1%), Sydenham (99.1%), Duncairn (98.9%), Crumlin (98.7%), Highfield (98.2%), Blackstaff (96.6%), and Cherryvalley (96%). (62) These numbers display the society’s social segregation of the Protestant religion considering residential living standards.
Regarding the Catholic neighborhoods (fig. 50), Andersonstown (94.1%), Clonard (92.7%), Falls (91.2%), Ardoyne (89.7%), New Lodge (86.0%), and Water Works (80.3%). (63) The Catholic neighborhoods are not as badly segregated as the Protestant communities; however, there is still an overwhelming large separation of religious affiliations.
Even though these numbers indicate extreme divisions between religion, there are a few communities that have a more inclusive distributions (fig. 51): Ballymacarrett (43.4% Catholic), Botanic (50.2% Catholic), Cliftonville (49% Catholic), and Shaftesbury (30.9% Catholic). (64)
These statistics display that the communities are not integrated with one another and the Peace Walls are perpetuating the separation through seen physical structures. The Dalai Lama visited Belfast to confront the subject of the Troubles a few years ago. He explained to the crowds of people that they need to “accept the other religion’s mental disposition of their right to choose their religion.” (65) He met with the people of Belfast to help bring the Troubles to a close within the communities. By connecting with the people who live within the walls and experience the social tensions, he could potentially help the people to move from a realm of hatred to a space of understanding.
Which leads to the questioning of how liminal space perpetuates acceptance, while healing emotional health and promoting integration with the religious communities. Tatiana Bilbao discusses in her book Tatiana Bilbao Estudio, the ability that drawings have for implementing ideas that change the future. She states drawings are “simultaneously speculations on the yet to be imagined and records of a moment.” (66) This method of visual making inspires change through documentation and critical thought. By questioning, the action inspired the research to move to an approach of documentation, resolving that the drawings are ever-changing. As Peter Cook states these drawings “are a continuous part of a single process.” (67)
These working drawings are completed in plan and section style (fig. 52-58). The liminality of the wall is unfastened by piercing architectural elements at 180 degrees, 90 degrees, and 45 degrees in order to foster people interacting on neutral ground (fig. 52 & 52). The interrogation of interaction, communication, unification, line-of-sight, angle of tension, mental health, religion, memories, thickness, and heights began informing the changes to the interventions in order to design an effective architectural habitable space. This method of questioning “demonstrates a concern with realism and problem solving.” (68) Additionally, Kenneth Wiseman, design principal at CannonDesign, discussed in his lecture the importance of proforma for projects. He explained that performa is the “necessity of design responsibility to perform at all levels.” (69) Through the process of layering, editing, and reworking, the drawings are able to produce healing architecture that are flexible in function to accommodate all people’s personal preferences. By working through the process of accumulating information and then producing visual representations of the information, it leads to unconventional design ideas that could potentially change society.
65 Walking The Path of Peace, (2012; Belfast: MVD Entertainment Group, 2012), Documentary.
66 Tatiana Bilbao, Tatiana Bilbao Estudio, 71.
67 Peter Cook, Drawing The Motive Force of Architecture, (West Sussex, UK: Wiley, 2019), 89.
68 Tatiana Bilbao, Tatiana Bilbao Estudio, 71.
69 Kenneth Wiseman, “Your First 1000 Days in Architecture” (ARCD 402, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, March 29, 2023).
Figure 55 (above). Examining the liminal sight of spatial constructs through light analysis, model 2
Figure 56 (below). Examining the liminal sight of spatial cnstructs through light analysis, model 3
Figure 57 (above). Futuristic working drawing
Figure 58 (below). Moment in history working drawing
The plan and section drawings that were discussed previously were designed based upon verbs from the Book of Isaiah (fig. 60), which exists in both the Protestant and Catholic Bibles. The verbs came from Chapters 12, 40-45, 61-65. (70) Through the abstract understanding of verbs, approximately fifty spatial extrusions were formed (fig. 61).
Steven Holl, explains in his book Compression, that the “internal mechanisms with which we see and experience visual and physical phenomena depend on a bottom-up approach - building from elements of abstraction.” (71) He believes that “abstract thought is like Aristotelian form - form giving cause.” (72) These fragment models employ this concept of design, by extrapolating the Biblical translated verbs into spatial constructs. The fragment models employed the verbs of the Bible in order to develop space that originates from common-ground of an agreeable topic of the people, investing in the idea of finding understanding and reconciliation.
Once the fragments were built, the working drawings analyzed their functional and dysfunctional aspects (fig. 19, 52, 53, 55, & 56). By questioning line-ofsight, height, thickness, length, light, shadow, and orientation, larger models were built. They began reconstructing the original fragment models to discover the proper dimensions for the human scale. Additionally, unsuccessful sections of the models were reworked to produce a better functioning space. This repetitive process produced spatial constructs that are designed for human interaction (fig. 62).
70
71 Steven Holl, Compression, 11.
72 Ibid.
Figure 61. Spatial constructs produced from Biblical verbs
Figure 62. Collage of the three interventions interacting with the Peace Wall
Figure 63. Intervention incision 1: plan
Figure 64. Intervention incision 2: plan
Figure 65. Intervention incision 3: plan
Figure 66. Intervention incision 1: section
Figure 67. Intervention incision 2: section
Figure 68. Intervention incision 3: section
Through a circular design process, architectural form was developed that focused on the potential ability of liminal space to heal emotional health from traumatic memories. Locating the project in Belfast, Northern Ireland inserted a religious quality into the project that explored an unseen layer of society in addition to mental health. Through the process of researching architects, scholarly articles, studies, podcasts, and documentaries, it prompted visual explorations that led to physical modeling in order to produce insertions that bring peace into society. By employing the concept of liminal space, architects have the ability to change society for the better, to bring a world that respects and understands one another.
In the words of Steven Holl, “architecture is a fragile art and a struggle but we never give up.”73 Steven Holl
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