traces of care, caution, and courage in the city
stories of navigating safety in Corkthreads is a visual story about everyday safety and unease in Cork. Public space is never neutral: it invites some, excludes others, and often leaves many moving with caution. By mapping personal stories, this project reveals the invisible, emotional layers of the city.
safety in the city isn't fixed,
it shifts with time, space, and the people around us
threads explores how safety is felt and perceived through real experiences in Cork
the stories shared here bring forward voices often missing from conversations about public space
safety is fluid – it depends on who you are, where you are, and when you're there
let's trace these experiences together
Theoretically, this is my bus stop, but I'd rather walk one more. I've seen enough.
A street that feels safe during the day can turn unsettling at night.
Whenever I stay late at the Boole Library, my mom's first question is always the same: 'Who's walking you home?' The route is well-lit – until it isn't. Just outside my accommodation, the street fades into darkness, empty and isolating. On nights I have no choice but to walk alone, I always call someone, filling the silence with a voice that makes me feel a little less alone.
Architecture itself can dictate unease.
A car destroyed the bollard between the road and the cycle path. If it did that to metal, what would happen to my body?
Looking at infrastructure and seeing yourself
I was here during sunset, the gates were closed. Four men came running behind me. They climbed the fence and disappeared into the darkness.
Sometimes, it's not about the environment at all – it's about an interaction, a presence, a glance that lasts too long.