A Peek Inside London’s Iconic Midcentury Barbican Apartments
What would it be like to live in a Brutalist masterpiece? Get a glimpse of stylish high-rise living in the heart of London
Anton Rodriguez is a photographer who lives in London’s iconic Barbican estate and began chronicling the homes of his fellow residents in 2015. The resulting book, Residents: Inside the Iconic Barbican Estate (published by Barbican on October 10), offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of his neighbors in one of the most distinctive “villages” in London. Here, Barbican enthusiast Egon Walesch shares his knowledge of this landmark, along with some of the photographs and stories included in the book.
London as seen from the Barbican building.
The estate was built in the 1960s and 1970s in an area that had been devastated by World War II bombings. It’s one of the most prominent examples of British Brutalist architecture and was given a Grade II historic listing in 2001, Rodriguez says in his book.
Heavily influenced by architect Le Corbusier and the principles of modernism, the estate was designed by architects Chamberlin, Powell & Bon and includes a major cultural center and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
The project, for the Corporation of London, was intended to create a mixed society of residents, primarily made up of city workers. The apartments were never intended for sale. However, “right to buy” legislation created a loophole, and all are now privately owned.
The estate was built in the 1960s and 1970s in an area that had been devastated by World War II bombings. It’s one of the most prominent examples of British Brutalist architecture and was given a Grade II historic listing in 2001, Rodriguez says in his book.
Heavily influenced by architect Le Corbusier and the principles of modernism, the estate was designed by architects Chamberlin, Powell & Bon and includes a major cultural center and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
The project, for the Corporation of London, was intended to create a mixed society of residents, primarily made up of city workers. The apartments were never intended for sale. However, “right to buy” legislation created a loophole, and all are now privately owned.
The estate is made up of three tower and 13 terrace apartment buildings, along with two-story houses and townhouses. The tower buildings, not shown, dominate the London skyline, their facades featuring a grid pattern of concrete paneling. The horizontals of this grid are broken by the continuous lines of the verticals, emphasizing the height of the towers.
The origin of Brutalism comes from the French term for raw concrete (béton brut). According to the 2015 exhibition The Barbican: Building a Landmark, the residential buildings alone required builders to tool more than 200,000 square meters of concrete. Workers with handheld pick hammers pummeled away at the surface to expose the coarse granite aggregate within. In that sense, it’s the antithesis of the raw concrete used in most Brutalist architecture.
A little-known fact is that the concrete was not part of the original masterplan. The website Barbican Living states that the buildings were all to be clad in white marble, but that was deemed too expensive.
A little-known fact is that the concrete was not part of the original masterplan. The website Barbican Living states that the buildings were all to be clad in white marble, but that was deemed too expensive.
The architects envisioned a pleasant and convenient residential precinct. As they wrote in their 1959 report, Barbican Redevelopment, it would include a quiet pedestrian space, uninterrupted by road traffic and where people would be able to “move about freely, enjoying constantly changing perspectives of terraces, lawns, trees and flowers” and seeing “the new buildings reflected in the ornamental lake.”
The architects cited the canals, bridges and pavements of Venice as the model for the pedestrian systems of the Barbican, describing it as “the best example of a city where foot and service traffic are completely segregated.”
“This segregation has worked admirably for many centuries,” they noted, “and there is no good reason why the principle should not be applied equally effectively in the City of London.”
The architects cited the canals, bridges and pavements of Venice as the model for the pedestrian systems of the Barbican, describing it as “the best example of a city where foot and service traffic are completely segregated.”
“This segregation has worked admirably for many centuries,” they noted, “and there is no good reason why the principle should not be applied equally effectively in the City of London.”
Balconies branch off bedrooms and studies, as well as living rooms, and give the towers their unique profiles.
These individual balconies overlook verdant landscaped squares and a lake with fountains. The buildings are isolated from the hubbub of the city and accessed by a pedestrian walkway raised above street level. The residential towers are three of London’s tallest.
An architect who has lived on the estate for two years told Rodriguez, “Every week, I find something new in it; it’s like a hill town you discover for yourself and are constantly exploring.”
Tips for creating a midcentury feel
These individual balconies overlook verdant landscaped squares and a lake with fountains. The buildings are isolated from the hubbub of the city and accessed by a pedestrian walkway raised above street level. The residential towers are three of London’s tallest.
An architect who has lived on the estate for two years told Rodriguez, “Every week, I find something new in it; it’s like a hill town you discover for yourself and are constantly exploring.”
Tips for creating a midcentury feel
In both the towers and terrace buildings, the layout of the apartments was designed to maximize the amount of natural light in the rooms that would most benefit from it, Rodriguez writes. Bedrooms, dining rooms and living rooms are therefore positioned along external walls, while kitchens and bathrooms are against inner walls. The generous windows allow light to stream into all areas of the apartments.
This Eames lounge chair and ottoman look at home in a Barbican flat. Midcentury furniture is particularly suited to the natural materials used in the homes, in particular the warm, honeyed tones of the hardwood window and door frames.
Contrary to many people’s perceptions of a modern concrete complex, the Barbican seems to be a great place to bring up children. There’s an on-site nursery and many gardens to play in. From the outset, the design prioritized pedestrian routes, with traffic restricted to the perimeter. You can walk everywhere on the estate and children can play outside without danger from cars.
Architecture critic and former resident Jonathan Glancey likened the complex to a battleship. He wrote in the Guardian, “The sheer number of ramps, decks, stairs, handrails and balconies here, plus the overtly nautical detailing, makes the Barbican feel, particularly on rain-soaked, windswept days, like some great concrete ship that has come to berth in the City of London.”
This original staircase highlights the quality of the materials and the craftsmanship used in the project.
This original staircase highlights the quality of the materials and the craftsmanship used in the project.
With its mix of owner-occupiers and those who rent the apartments, the Barbican has a high proportion of architects, designers and people who work in the creative industries.
It might lead you to believe the estate was intended for artists and other creative people. In fact, every detail, from the tailor-made light switches to the high-spec door knobs, was designed for a high-end consumer.
It might lead you to believe the estate was intended for artists and other creative people. In fact, every detail, from the tailor-made light switches to the high-spec door knobs, was designed for a high-end consumer.
Visitors to the Barbican estate are often surprised at how green it is. In addition to the large lake, there are massed fountains, a cascade, roof gardens, trees growing on columns, pools and a seating area set below water level. It’s also home to London’s second-largest conservatory, which houses 2,000 species of tropical plants and exotic fish.
There’s also a lovely informal new roof garden that’s been planned to provide greater biodiversity and is more adaptable to climate change than a traditional garden.
Window boxes were provided along the balconies of the flats. Leaseholders in the terrace apartments and townhouses are contractually required to grow and maintain plants, and you’ll often see a mass of geraniums trailing down the concrete in summer.
Most of the gardens in the Barbican are for residents’ use only; individual gardens, such as this one in a ground-floor townhouse, are a rarity.
Discover city balconies that prove small is beautiful
There’s also a lovely informal new roof garden that’s been planned to provide greater biodiversity and is more adaptable to climate change than a traditional garden.
Window boxes were provided along the balconies of the flats. Leaseholders in the terrace apartments and townhouses are contractually required to grow and maintain plants, and you’ll often see a mass of geraniums trailing down the concrete in summer.
Most of the gardens in the Barbican are for residents’ use only; individual gardens, such as this one in a ground-floor townhouse, are a rarity.
Discover city balconies that prove small is beautiful
Chamberlin, Powell & Bon decided that kitchens should be placed at the rear of the apartments so the available window space would be reserved for the living area and bedrooms. This had been the settled arrangement since the grand plan was drawn up in 1959, and the whole layout of the flats depended on it.
In 1963, however, a technical problem arose. The London County Council had recently passed bylaws requiring all kitchens to have windows or equivalent ventilation. Many of the Barbican kitchens did not meet the requirement. A deal was struck: What had previously been called kitchens were instead renamed “cooking areas” and part of the living room, for the purpose of the regulations.
In 1963, however, a technical problem arose. The London County Council had recently passed bylaws requiring all kitchens to have windows or equivalent ventilation. Many of the Barbican kitchens did not meet the requirement. A deal was struck: What had previously been called kitchens were instead renamed “cooking areas” and part of the living room, for the purpose of the regulations.
To make the kitchens as efficient and space-saving as possible, the architects took their cue from the compact design of boats and brought in Brooke Marine, a firm of yacht designers. A full-size mock-up of a kitchen was erected and tested by going through the motions of preparing several types of meals.
As it says in the master plan: “Bathrooms and, particularly in this estate, kitchens are in use during only a short part of the day (much of which is, in any case, after dark) so that it is no great drawback for these rooms to depend on artificial light. They will all be equipped with a forced extract ventilating system, which is more efficient than normal window ventilation.”
As it says in the master plan: “Bathrooms and, particularly in this estate, kitchens are in use during only a short part of the day (much of which is, in any case, after dark) so that it is no great drawback for these rooms to depend on artificial light. They will all be equipped with a forced extract ventilating system, which is more efficient than normal window ventilation.”
Over the years, some kitchens have been extensively remodeled, but those that remain show the cleverness of the compact design. Innovative features include the Garchey waste disposal system in the original kitchen sink, still maintained by the same company, which will also make any new parts that are needed.
In most apartments, a small, thermostatically controlled electric water heater, separate to the main water heating system, supplies the kitchen sink.
This row of stove controls shows the original midcentury appeal of the fixtures and fittings found throughout the Barbican apartments.
In most apartments, a small, thermostatically controlled electric water heater, separate to the main water heating system, supplies the kitchen sink.
This row of stove controls shows the original midcentury appeal of the fixtures and fittings found throughout the Barbican apartments.
Another example of this aesthetic is the handrinse sink, designed to fit into the apartments’ diminutive powder rooms.
The sink was designed by L Michael Hohmann, who was an architect working with Chamberlin, Powell & Bon. The now-iconic piece was a unique Barbican design specially made by Twyfords in 1966 — and still available today.
More
World of Design: Trees Bring Nature to a High-Rise in Milan
Marina City Towers: Life Inside an Architectural Icon
The sink was designed by L Michael Hohmann, who was an architect working with Chamberlin, Powell & Bon. The now-iconic piece was a unique Barbican design specially made by Twyfords in 1966 — and still available today.
More
World of Design: Trees Bring Nature to a High-Rise in Milan
Marina City Towers: Life Inside an Architectural Icon
The apartments fell out of fashion for a time but have now become some of the most desirable in central London, not least because of the quality of the design process, their authentic midcentury interiors and the meticulous attention to detail.