The Barbican: brutal or beautiful?

Are you a frequent visitor of the Barbican Centre, for its exhibitions, cinema, theatre, or just the tranquil lakeside terrace and cafe?

Then we are sure you’ve wondered at least once why the Barbican Estate looks the way it does – grey concrete buildings with flowered balconies, overlooking an artificial green lake dotted with lush vegetation.

This is why we decided to book the Architecture Tour, a 90-minute guided visit of the massive Barbican Estate.

The tour takes place mostly outside, as you walk through the different levels of the estate, connected by ramps (not stairs, because we learnt that “ramps connect, while stairs divide”).

Starting from the Lakeside Terrace, the tour covers the trio of soaring residential towers, the ruins along the original London Wall, the beautiful Conservatory (a hidden tropical oasis with over 1,500 species of plants and trees), and much more.

We were particularly intrigued by the history of the estate and the revolutionary idea behind it.

Working with a site almost completely razed by WW2, the Barbican’s architects, Chamberlain, Powell and Bon, seized the opportunity to propose a post war utopian ideal for inner-city living.

A city within a city that is raised above street level and is inspired by a range of styles, from ancient Roman fortresses and French Modernism to Mediterranean holidays and Scandinavian design.

Are you curious to know where the word Brutalism come from? And why the artificial lakes are so green? Do you wonder how (un)affordable the 2,000 flats are and how they look like?

We recommend you book the Architecture Tour – £15 pp really well spent.

P.S. Some parts of the estate are really windy! If you visit on a cold/rainy/windy day, make sure to dress up appropriately.