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The Westlink

Part 1 Project 2020
Charlotte Cummings
Ulster University | UK
The legacy left by the Troubles in Northern Ireland goes beyond the conflict, due to safety concerns barriers and divides, were erected throughout the city in an attempt to keep people apart, now that the conflict is over it is important to address both the physical and social divisions caused by these barriers. While Peace Walls are perhaps the most iconic divides within Belfast, the focus of this project are the hidden barriers that exist within the city, these hidden barriers exist almost unknowingly to the people living in the city, and manage to completely control how people live. The focus of this project is the Westlink, a dual carriageway that exists to split the city in two, separating contested inner-city areas from Belfast’s urban core, the project begins to address the legacy left behind by the Westlink.

Taking inspiration from Lebbeus Woods’ Underground Berlin, the project, taking a theoretical approach re-imagines the Westlink as an abandoned relic of Northern Ireland’s past, proposing a series of interventions along the Westlink which guide the ‘Troubles Tourist’ along its banks. The result is a series of thought-provoking investigations that are created to spark conversations around addressing Northern Ireland’s complex past.


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2020
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