The Barbican: A Middle Class Council Estate

The Barbican is one of the most remarkable housing estates in the world. Designed in the mid 20th century by British firm, Chamberlin, Powell and Bon and commissioned by the local authority, it is a unique chapter in the story of state-led architecture with much to teach us today.

Written and presented by Phineas Harper. A co-production between The Architectural Review and the Architecture Foundation.

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For over 20 years, the Architecture Foundation has brought together professionals from across the built environment to discuss and act on issues related to design and the built environment. With a renewed focus on the city and the critical intersection of architecture and politics, the Architecture Foundation works to effect meaningful change on policy and practice.

[britany]

The fact this was made 7 years ago but the end commentary describing the collapse of council housing availablity and UK housing market fragility still persists...

[setamaluka]

Had to deliver food here once. Safe to say it was cold when I arrived at the flat. Sorry.

[NapoleonGelignite]

I grew up here as a child. The main thing you notice is the quiet - no road noise. The sunken walkways are great, but now you need to be a hedge fund manager to live

[sirobb]

The estate has always struck me as somewhere the staff from the Ministry of Truth would live for their whole lives, either moving to a different apartment as they rise through the ranks or prematurely leaving without trace.

[avidsquarehead]

I used to live nearby and walked my dog around there often. It’s a bit like IKEA, once you learn the secret entrances/exits and the cut-throughs you can start to enjoy it! Love the Barbican now, it’s otherworldly.

[freeyard]

As someone who grew up on other much less pleasant council estates in London, I've always felt sad that I couldn't live somewhere like the Barbican or Golden Lane Estates, which do feel so much less constricting on ones spirit to be in. That there were other estates like this which were clearly much more thought through and built with real intention and perhaps less contempt for the people who were to occupy them. When I was young my dad would take me and my sister on a long bus ride to the Barbican on some weekends just to walk around or go to the cinema. As an adult I still go to sit around there sometimes and listen to the water and take deep breaths within the conservatory. I think my dad realised it was an aspirational environment, compared to the estate we lived in. That is one of the worst things about housing poverty - how the actual architecture of both the interior and exterior can cause one to become so uninspired and disconnected from all of the possibilities outside of it. I saw that with most of the kids I grew up with, how the place in which we grew up decided their narrative. It makes me feel so lucky that I found inspiration in other places that would take me out of the constricting confines of the estates and open my eyes up to the possibility all around me in the rest of the city. It's nowhere near perfect and definitely has its critics, but the Barbican was an architectural practice in possibility within the confines of a harsh city.

[princeofchetarria]

My parents really wanted to live here but couldn’t afford it. It’s not even middle class anymore it’s extremely expensive place to live

[hexonatapeloop]

I wandered in the other day to look around and got trapped on the wrong side of a moat. I left eventually an hour late via an underground car park past a sign saying No Pedestrians, convinced the whole thing had been designed as a last-ditch military strongpoint for the defence of London, to channel enemy soldiers into a central killing zone from which there would be no escape. Seriously it’s impossible

[corinacerbu]

As a Romanian, I find it to be the most familiar place in London. It’s similar to the communist architecture from the ‘70s. The difference is the space, which is represented by bigger flats and the aesthetics. Communist architecture was uglier because it had a utilitarian purpose (it would have used the same space to house probably twice as many people, sacrificing aesthetics and spaces dedicated to personal use). Although, there’s the myth that social classes were cancelled during communism, that is just not true. Middle-upper class lived in residential areas very similar to Barbican. Bigger apartments, more leisure facilities, distinctive from the rest of the apartment blocks. I find Barbican to be a ‘60s gem.

[Yorkshiremadmick]

I worked on the Barbican in 1980
There are 3 main types of concrete finish used. The concrete had black granite aggregate added. There was Smooth or Flat concrete, sometimes polished,
Bush hammered concrete which achieved a stippling affect and then the Pick Hammered concrete giving the highly textured appearance you referred to. These finishes were done using compressed air Jack hammers. The floors in the crescent around the theatre and concert halls are end grain wood blocks hand laid 3” thick. Barbican Bronze sockets and light fixtures.
There’s an amazing site services subway under every where.
It’s an impressive place.
The Barbican is impressive.

[doctornoz]

My aunt has lived in the Barbican since I can remember, and I stayed there a lot as kid. I always loved it, to my child brain it was my standard for what being in central London is like. It’s strange and visually interesting, yet it also feels safe and comfortable. The apartments inside (or at least 2 I have been in) are narrow but long and feel oddly spacious. I would love to live there, if I could ever afford to

[alexhaworth]

I've learned more in 5 minutes here than in any other topic ever

[martinbaker]

I did laugh at the “even on a miserable English day it still feels visually dynamic and alive” line. While I’ve warmed to The Barbican over the past 30 years, I have a distinct memory of walking through it on a cold, rainy, windy day and it felt like the most miserable place on earth.

[TrisGibbons]

This is really interesting and I can see why some people have a soft spot for the Barbican. Before watching the video I just thought it was gross architecture and now I think I understand it a bit better. Thank you!

[lb]

Barbican always felt like a Star Wars city to me as a kid, it is a wonderful anomaly in the heart of London!

[cbkvfe]

The Barbican still 'works' because its high maintenance, security, and energy costs are borne by its residents. An un-insulated concrete building of this type with large floor-to-ceiling windows is hugely consumptive of energy. The service charges vary by building and by size of apartment, but in the tower blocks (which have the largest flats, 24-hour doormen, and three high-speed lifts per building in constant service), all-in annual charges can be in the region of £8, 000 to £9, 000 per flat (before council tax and utilities like water and electricity). There are around 120 flats per tower, so that is about £1m per year the residents of each tower block must contribute to its running and upkeep.

[lostgleammedia]

the Barbican is how all of those estates should have been designed.. i always thought council tower block estates could have been improved with better communal spaces and well plant life.

[sarjantray]

Excellent video. Back in the late 60's (1966 to 1969) I served my apprenticeship as a Carpenter joiner with John Laing and spent all 4 years on the tower block that over looked the old brewery at the bottom of Whitecross Street. What an experience that was. I started off working with the shuttering gangs casting the structure of the building, then the first and second fittings of the interior.

[samcurry]

Definetly a random suggested video but stayed until the end. New sub here

[Earnshawfully]

When I first got to know the place, I found it bewildering and unwelcoming. I lived on the nearby Peabody estate, in Whitecross St. five minutes away. The Peabody estate consisted of very old, simple housing association buildings. I would go to the Barbican centre to use the public spaces for study and visit the exhibitions. A lot of the space was freely accessible. Later, I had a baby and would take her there as a warm place to learn to walk, toddling around the feet of the adults who were there for the theatres! I made friends who lived in the flats. I really liked the low-rise ones, which had a huge, arched window and a vaulted ceiling. The interiors of those were designed compactly, with everything fitted, by someone who had designed for ships.