The Barbican Housing Estate

LDNiCON

LDNiCON is about celebrating Londons architectural endevours and uncovering the quirky, sometimes seemingly bland, components of the city. We are not focused on headline city architecture, rather, second course servings of London’s buildings and the spaces between them. These components represent the mass of the city and contribute more to the spatial experience than well-recognised buildings in London - the experience that most Londoners live through in their day-to-day existence. This is what we are most interested in.

Each month we will share our findings; experiences and ideas of what we think make architectural icons in the city of London.

The Barbican Housing Estate

Location : Barbican, City of London
Built : 1963-1975
Architect : Chamberlin, Powell and Bon

What's hot : Walking around the complex is almost like being in Blade Runner
What's not : The weathered concrete and grey hues of the facade

What is it?

The Barbican Housing Estate is a residential development in a central part of London called the ‘Square Mile’. The Square Mile is the historical centre of London, where the original city of the Middle Ages grew out from. It is called the Square Mile because the original fort wall that protected the City encloses an area that is roughly one square mile.

The Barbican Housing Estate contains 2,013 flats and houses, is built round a lake and a collection of gardens. It hosts the largest arts centre in Europe in the heart of the development, the Barbican Arts Centre.

History

Parts of East End London were severely destroyed by bombings during the Second World War. By the end of the war, the area of devastation in the City of London included a large section of land where the Barbican Housing Estate now stands. For nearly two decades after the war, the Barbican was virtually derelict land. Children of the East End at the time must have made good use of it as a playground.

Sir Patrick Abercrombie prepared the blue print for post-war London in the form of the 1944 Greater London Plan. His plan told a story of suburban, out of town, residential villages with professionals commuting into the city for work.

The area of Barbican was victim to planning schemes and proposals of this ideal for nearly a decade.

Neighboring residents and officials frustrated with the lack of progress after such a long period of land left unused, formed an organization to push for a comprehensive residential development.

After arguments and discussions with the London Mayer at the time, planning permission was granted in 1956 for the scheme that is now currently on the site.

In 1959 Chamberlain, Powell and Bon produced their designs for the site. The original report, made as a book with sketches, photos, plans and descriptions, can be found at the Guildhall Library in London.

Architecture

With the development of the Barbican Housing Estate, Chamberlin Powell & Bon soon became established as an important architectural practice in post-war Britain. Many of their buildings still standing are admired by today’s generation of designers and architects. The number of listed buildings designed by them is testament to the public opinion of their designs.

The principles of Modernism and the influence of the works of Le Courbusier are clearly evident in the design of the Barbican Housing Estate. It is however, a fine example of Brutalist architecture, typical of the time in London. The excitement of concrete as a new, high-rise material, is iconic and unashamedly expressed by the searing concrete facades of the 42-storey tower.

Quoting Chamberlin, Powell & Bon, Architects "Barbican Redevelopment" April 1959:

"The intention underlying our design is to create a coherent residential precinct in which people can live both conveniently and with pleasure. Despite its high density the layout is spacious: the buildings and the space between them are composed in such a way as to create a clear sense of order without monotony. Uninterrupted by road traffic (which is kept separate from pedestrian circulation through and about the neighbourhood) a quiet precinct will be created in which people will be able to move about freely enjoying constantly changing perspectives or terraces, lawns, trees and flowers seen against the background or the new buildings or reflected in the ornamental lake."

The Barbican Housing Estate is architecturally important as it is one of London's principal examples of concrete Brutalist architecture and considered a landmark by many.

It is now a highly desirable place to live and offers 1970’s perception of high-class, estate living, set in the 21st century.

Written by Tai Hollingsbee