‘I stick to this side of the park’: Parks as shared spaces in contemporary Belfast

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the ‘Beyond the Peace Walls’ pilot project, which examined the role of urban parks in Belfast, a city marked by a history of sectarianism. It explores the interface of culture, inclusivity and belonging through the concept of ‘shared spaces’ following the rationale that has guided policy-making in Northern Ireland since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. By examining the alternative narratives of the historical role of public parks, as spaces of community making, alongside recent efforts to overcome sectarianism, it investigates how the lived experience of parks articulated through the concept of ‘shared spaces’ is understood by policy-makers and local communities. The research draws on material collected in conversations with park goers framed by comparative analysis of research undertaken in other segregated cities to explore the extent to which urban design curbs or reinforces segregation. Findings reveal ongoing tensions between the neutralisation and the signification of space underlying place restructuring in Belfast rejecting the claim that parks are ‘neutral’ compared to other ‘interface’ locations. We argue that parks are not neutral spaces: people have very clear understandings of the demarcation of space within parks, even if the markers are not visible for all to see. Signifiers are perceived through gestures, language, names and activities, while shared spaces embody historically informed values and constraints. We also suggest that formal planning and management of shared spaces in Belfast need to be constantly evolving to meet the fluid needs and aspirations of the city’s population, while taking into account the historical and affective relevance of physical and ethno-political segregation.

What’s in a name . . . and for whom? How public spaces named for prejudiced individuals impact targets of prejudice

“…Targets’ feelings of hostility and reduced safety are not arbitrary but instead are fueled by expectations of poor treatment by a community who tolerate or even favor a prejudiced place name. Together, these findings demonstrate that space names meaningfully contribute to the comfort and belonging of particularly targets of prejudice, which should inform policy on both space naming and renaming (Wainman, 2020), and rededication (Lang & Mell, 2020).…”

“…Together, these findings demonstrate that space names meaningfully contribute to the comfort and belonging of particularly targets of prejudice, which should inform policy on both space naming and renaming (Wainman, 2020), and rededication (Lang & Mell, 2020).…”

“…Given that targets are more knowledgeable about historical discrimination than nontargets (Nelson et al, 2013), the disparity in perceived harm may widen considerably. Similarly, our materials largely refer to prejudices in a context rooted in U.S. history; however, consideration of space renaming and rededication globally (Lang & Mell, 2020) suggests that the relationships between space names, perceptions of community belief signaling, and harms are unlikely to be unique to this context. However, future work would benefit by replicating in more varied contexts.…”

Bordering Practices in a Sustainability-Profiled Neighbourhood: Studying Inclusion and Exclusion Through Fluid and Fire Space

“…Two parks were important in the enactment of social sustainability shared space (Lang & Mell, 2020) in the planning documents: Broparken (in English, the Bridge Park) and Paradiset (in English, the Paradise). Broparken acts as a backbone for the area, containing the brook Smedstadbäcken at the centre of the neighbourhood, and Paradiset was designed as a separate space and an escape from the high-density housing area.…”

Social Innovation in the Undergraduate Architecture Studio

“…Thus, the community representatives that participate in a charrette do not necessarily represent the most vulnerable groups. In some cases, the problem could be invisible to a non-local but is present in other types of signifiers, such as gestures, language, names, and activities that embody historical injustices [33]. Thus, social innovation in placemaking should be carefully designed to promote inclusion and advance justice.…”