Sam Jacob's ArtReview column explores Hadrian's Wall as architectural ideology and contemporary border metaphor

Architect Sam Jacob's inaugural column for ArtReview's 'The Shape of Things' series examines Hadrian's Wall as both physical structure and conceptual boundary. Originally constructed as the Roman Empire's northern frontier stretching 135km across England, the wall has transformed from military infrastructure into a heritage asset and walking route. Jacob traces its journey from Newcastle's postindustrial landscapes through Northumberland National Park, noting how different conservation regimes—National Trust and English Heritage—impose contrasting rules for walkers. The article draws connections between the wall's physical dissolution and contemporary border politics, referencing influences from radical architecture collective Superstudio, walking artist Richard Long, and former US President Donald Trump. Jacob explores the tension between abstract lines on maps and their physical manifestations in territory, questioning architectural authority through the wall's gradual erosion into the landscape. Published in ArtReview's October 2019 issue, the column considers how even extreme border gestures eventually dissolve.