On the Line - Revitalising Place Identity: A Case Study in Balintore, Scotland

Once proud fishing villages in the North of Scotland used to be lively and industrious gateways to the ocean for much of the country’s population. Modernisation and industrialisation of the fishing industry has seen a depletion of not only fishing stock but also a sense of identity that accompanied these historic coastal settlements (Scottish Government “Socio-Economic Briefing on Rural Scotland”). Balintore is a powerful example of this issue, where an ageing population has a disconnection from their distinct cultural identity (Brookfield 6). The settlement now has less than one percent of its population employed in the fishing industry (Streetcheck).  This thesis will explore how identity can be revitalised with reference to the fishing industry and grounded with the unique characteristics of Balintore, such as landscape types, cultural tradition, climate conditions and architecture. An aquaculural insertion to the site will act as a driver to feasibly revitalise the struggling economy and allow explorations into how an experience with the product can create place identity, alluding to fishing industry history. The experience of place aims to portray unique characteristics of the site, cultural traditions and an engagement with the product which associates a contextual relationship between the two.   The landscape of Scotland is intrinsically tied to the cultural identity and therefore the sense of place which people possess (Robertson 154). The fact that the identity in question is fundamentally based on a spatial relation, despite having cultural, social and economic factors, allows landscape architecture to act as a useful framework in exploring possible scenarios. This thesis will seek to once again provide an integral bond between the people and their environment which can foster a revitalised place attachment, one which will transcend generations and provide a sustainable sense of place in Scotland’s future.