The development of the Barbican Centre was brought about by a collaborative effort between the surrounding community, visionary designers and local government. During the opening ceremony, The Queen was responsible for cutting the ribbon and expressed her excitement for the revolutionary new venue. Since then the centre has served as a creative and cultural cornerstone of the city and has provided a platform for artists and performers from all over the world.
Over the years, the building has received a few face-lifts and aesthetic improvements which have kept it fit for purpose in an increasingly modernised world. The centre consists of nine different sections including the Barbican Hall, the Barbican Theatre, Barbican Film, Barbican Library and two exhibition halls. The complex and spacious design of the Barbican Centre is an amazing example of how the people of London can come together after a crisis to create something truly unique and inspirational.
More than just a venue, the Barbican Centre is a piece of history. After 10 years of construction, Barbican Centre first opened its door to the public in the year The word barbican origins from the Low Latin word Barbecana which referred to a fortified outpost or gateway, such as an outer defence of a city or castle or any tower situated over a gate or bridge which was used for defence purposes. Read more.. Notify me of follow-up comments by email.
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Special Offers Packages. For the record, the names of the buildings are as follows;. With several conference halls, a theatre, art gallery and restaurants as well as home to both the London Symphony Orchestra and BBC Symphony Orchestra, the opening of the Barbican Centre was the incentive for non-residents to come and visit the estate, which in turn put the entire complex on not only the national map but also the international one. The performing arts centre was part of the final phase of development and finished in Before moving on, it is worth mentioning the Museum of London and the adjoining London Wall, which back when it was constructed was named Bastion House.
Both buildings were completed in as part of the Barbican development, however, the designers in this instance were not Chamberlin Powell and Bon but rather two other prevalent post-war architects, Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya.
Known for, among other works, the futuristic Skyline Installation part of the Festival of Britain , Chichester Festival Theatre and Churchill Gardens estate in Pimlico, the pair created the blueprint for the museum in an at the time innovative chronological manner, whereby there was only one route through the galleries starting with the prehistoric period and ending in modern times.
Having reached capacity, the Museum of London was due to move to a new City location in Smithfield Market this year but this has been put back until at least With its fortress-like appearance and lots and lots of exposed reinforced concrete, at first glance, the Barbican conveys an aura of hostility and forebodingness.
But, the reality is far from the initial perception and there are a number of reasons for this. First and foremost, unlike nearby Golden Lane, the Barbican Estate was never created or designed with conventional council tenants in mind.
Yet, and trying not to be stereotypical of preconceived notions regarding housing estates, the Barbican has not really experienced any of the social issues often associated with inner-city housing developments in London, or elsewhere in the United Kingdom for that matter. Although those living in the Barbican were not council tenants, the City of London Corporation was considered a local authority under the Act and so the residents were able to take advantage of the scheme.
Next came the crazy hike in house prices around the mids to the mids. This pushed up the value of property in many parts of the UK but was especially prolific in London and the surrounding home counties. Nowadays, you need to be earning a hefty whack to rent a place in the Barbican and you certainly have to be more than comfortably well-off to buy a place.
It is fair to say, therefore, that the Barbican is not an estate you should be concerned about wandering around. In fact, you have to wonder if the actual residents of the Barbican ever get frustrated with so many visitors on their doorstep?
The reality is that the Barbican Estate is such an icon of British post-war architecture, not to mention a fantastic central London location, that there are a tonne of people who would give their right arm to live there.
And that most definitely includes us …. Barbican is the closest underground station. Information about guided architecture tours can be found here. Barbican Living. Look up London. City of London. Historic England. We aim to send a monthly newsletter which includes a round-up of our newest posts featuring off-the-beaten-path destinations, unusual things to do, abandoned places, street art, and more.
All designed to help you discover quirky and unusual things to do and see, and explore off-beat destinations. Crescent House, part of Golden Lane Estate. Golden Lane Estate More modernist than brutalist in style, work on the Golden Lane development began in and the project was completed in Basterfield House, Golden Lane Estate.
Blake Tower, Barbican Estate. Shakespeare Tower, Barbican Estate. Lauderdale Tower, Barbican Estate. Here are just a few of them, so if you fancy a Barbican wall print, or even a mug, shower curtain or t-shirt featuring the Barbican, take a look… Barbican Estate Shakespeare House floor cushion. Barbican Estate Shakespeare House, iPad case. Barbican Estate framed print.
Barbican Estate Shakespeare House coasters. Barbican Estate Gilbert House framed print. Barbican Estate greetings card. Barbican Estate Shakespeare House poster. Barbican Estate Gilbert House apron. Join our mailing list to receive regular but not too regular! We hate SPAM too and promise to keep your email address safe. You can unsubscribe at any time
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