Exploring the architecture of interfaces and barriers in Northern Ireland's rural communities and towns

Despite the significant architectural and planning research that has been undertaken on interfaces areas, contested places and barriers, the majority of this work has been focused on the major urban centres. Rural communities in Northern Ireland, and smaller market-towns, have not attracted the same degree of scholarly attention. My PhD therefore seeks to directly address this gap in knowledge by examining the spatial and material role of interface barriers in Northern Ireland.

They are architectural elements which can have both profound visible and invisible impacts on the mindsets and behaviours of communities living in close proximity and further afield. Research context

Recent research on 'hidden barriers' (Coyles, Hamber and Grant, 2021) has helped to reveal the key role that less visible forms of architecture and space continue to play in both fostering physical division and reinforcing certain problematic social behaviours and attitudes. Coyles in his research refers to how such local politics influences policy in that 'Core to this argument, is the exposition of a problematic historical dichotomy where local forms of power play a fundamental role in unofficially shaping official forms of governance over architecture and space'.

Factors such as fear and territoriality associated with the conflict in NI in communities are perhaps not fully recognised and remain in people's hearts and minds and are transferred through generations both consciously and subconsciously regardless of the progression of the peace process.

While policy addressing architectural and spatial division has traditionally been focused on larger urban areas, particularly Belfast and Derry/Londonderry, there is a corresponding lack of policy attention paid to rural towns and communities. This is a significant research gap, as evidenced by the multifarious ways in which architecture and space are utilised to encourage and reinforce segregation and division in rural towns and communities:

- Physical division, but rather than a wall or fence it may manifest itself through townlands and a patchwork quilt of communities, villages and even farms, or through the use of community and other venues. - Mindset division, mind mapping as affiliations differ and people feel a sense of belonging in communities;

- Patterns of behaviour, as people from different background attend social, sporting, church or cultural organisations, and potentially shop and socialise in different areas or establishments depending on their background for a variety of reasons both proactive and reactive;

- Background, as people from different ages, gender, racial background, sexual orientation or other categories interact differently with people from different religious/political background and have differing views and behaviours.