This Is Not a Tourist Attraction

Since the decline of Belfast’s textile industry, almost 10,000 m² of the vast red-brick complex of the Strand Spinning Mill – today known as Portview Trade Centre – stood idle. But in a quest to reimagine it as a mixed-use destination combining heritage, work, community life, and visitor experiences, Urban Scale Interventions and Group NAO were invited to explore how Portview could transform from a semi-occupied industrial estate into a vibrant, future-ready urban ecosystem.

Rather than positioning Portview as a conventional attraction, the strategy frames tourism as a transversal force that strengthens everyday life. Drawing on the concept of “untouristic appeal,” the work proposes a model where Portview functions as a destination within the destination: rooted in East Belfast’s character, open to visitors, and shaped by local activity. The strategy responds to emerging trends such as neighbourhood tourism, workcation, and regenerative placemaking, and outlines how Portview can complement Belfast’s wider visitor economy while remaining firmly grounded in place. At its core sits a project-based learning hub embedded within the working life of more than 100 small enterprises. A new social tenancy model ensures every occupier contributes, whether through mentoring, waste reduction or community outreach, turning tenancy into collective stewardship. Climate resilience principles, rooftop urban farming and zero-waste initiatives make the site a testbed for sustainable city living. And in the middle of it all lies a combined social space and banana plantation!