Belfast Gate: "An archive that stores more than records" Part 1 Project 2025 Ayla Johnston Ulster University | UK During a study trip to Berlin last year I took a keen interest Brandenburg Gate and subsequently, the Berlin Customs Wall built from 1734-1737. It was a wall that had 19 gates that didn’t serve a particular military function, but in fact to determine taxes owed to the king and to prevent things like smuggling. Essentially the Customs wall controlled the passage of people, which Ithink can easily be applied to Belfast. Whilst Belfast doesn’t have any grand monuments like Brandenburg, I think the gates that still remain have just as much history and power behind them, but with quite negative connotations. Therefore, I wanted my ‘Archive’ building to stand as its own ‘gateway’ into Belfast that welcomes everyone. I decided that my building should be entirely made of steel, perhaps taken from a futuristic Belfast, where steel gates, fences and walls aren’t needed anymore, making the materiality of my building an archive in itself, an archive of Belfast. I got inspired by Heurzog & de Meuron’s De Young Museum for my cladding as I thought perforated steel would filter thelight into the galleries really effectively and I had hoped that the continuity of these materials would add to the look of a new ‘Belfast Gate’. Tutor(s)