VIRTUAL Barcelona Livable Cities

Abstract

This paper explores the Belfast Tidal Flood Alleviation Scheme as a key response to the urgent need for climate adaptation, positioned within the larger context of urban livability. Comprising flood walls along the River Lagan, this scheme was crucial for mitigating flood risks and managing tidal surges. However, it was not designed to enhance public space, highlighting a recurring challenge in place-based climate adaptation projects: balancing essential infrastructure with creating inclusive, biodiverse, and livable public space. Addressing this challenge, Public CoLab 2023—a collaborative architectural design studio—invited students to reimagine the left-over and underutilised public spaces adjacent to the flood walls. Engaging with the engineers of the floodwall, city planners, city resilience officers, ecologists, environmental advocates, and multiple diverse human and non-human users, the students developed speculative proposals that applied regenerative design principles to transform these forgotten areas into accessible, vibrant public realms. Their designs prioritised the coexistence of human and ecological needs, integrating features like biodiversity corridors and resilient green spaces to extend the riverfront’s function as both a flood defence and a space for social and recreational activities. They invite discussion about reconciling climate resilience with the aspiration for accessible, healthy, and ecologically integrated urban environments—a shared ambition among cities worldwide facing similar challenges. By examining this case study, this paper encourages cross-disciplinary dialogue on aligning climate-resilient infrastructure with livable and inclusive public space.