"May this food restore our strength, giving new energy to tired limbs, now thoughts to weary minds. May this drink restore our souls, giving new vision to dry spirits, new warmth to cold hearts".
- Irish dinner blessing
Northern Ireland has long been a country defined by religion, from the school you attend to the pub you drink in, much of Northern Irish life is defined by religious identity. This identity has been the backdrop for centuries of division and violence, most famously during The Troubles (1968-1998) during which thousands of human lives were lost. In 1994 Northern Ireland politicians commenced a truly revolutionary peace process requiring huge sacrifices and concessions on both sides of the divide. Twenty-five years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement Northern Ireland is a different country and there are now many young people who have only known peace on this island.
However, Northern Ireland remains a country divided between two Christian faiths. Underpinned by careful research conducted through a series of scales on the church’s physical and psychological impact on the people of Derry, this thesis seeks to understand the enduring human impacts of church power structures and influence on daily life. By deconstructing these power structures, the project seeks to suggest a new spatial typology of reconciliation for the people of Northern Ireland.
The project navigates a tightly contested site which exists on a key section of the Derry Walls, on an axis between both protestant and catholic spaces of control. Inspired by the ancient traditions of Irish hospitality, and the religious ritual of breaking bread the project seeks to bring people together for the common good through a celebration of growing, harvesting, making and eating healthy food. Elevated above the city walls this architecture seeks to become a beacon of unity and tolerance for both sides of the community.
