ABSTRACT
Security architecture is the physical embodiment of fear, threat and conflict, but also of protection. Interface barriers may provide physical safety while, at the same time, they increase the divide between 'us' and 'them', both physically and mentally. Reconciliation and harmonious civic relationships seem a far distant prospect. This chapter examines the duality, specifically in the context of what have become known as 'interface areas', parts of Belfast where hostile communities live geographically very close to each other. The avoidance of acknowledging the diversity of the barriers suggests that there is official approval of the continuing requirement for security barriers as part and parcel of Belfast's landscape and environment. The presence of interface barriers creates a physical barrier of separation between two communities. The removal of interface barriers would symbolise a step forward towards a shared future. The citizens of Belfast have become accustomed to more elaborate separation structures.
