Glasgow is a city divided by boundaries, exemplified by the superposition of the M8 motorway over its built environment. This gargantuan infrastructure project has increased vehicular traffic throughout Glasgow and acts as a key transport link to the capital and beyond. However, its construction cost the city its urban porosity, clearing long established neighborhoods in its wake. The motorway sits as a monumental concrete border, splitting Glasgow’s West End from its center. Traversing this threshold is difficult, but certain spaces hidden beneath the massive structure allow a monolithic experience for the rare pedestrian.

This study asks, ‘what are the spatial conditions found along such imposing infrastructure?’. Glaswegians regularly experience the spaces adjacent to the threshold, but what happens inside it?

Over a series of virtual reality vignettes, this experiential investigation looks at the spatial qualities of areas found within the motorway’s liminal spaces.

Key Themes: Infrastructure, Motorway, Liminal Spaces, Thresholds, Borders