11 minimalist design, preparing London for a streamlined upgrade, however they faced a large issue. Inner city living was hugely undesirable. Consequently, Chamberlin, Powell and Bon needed to stretch their concept creating a rich estate of housing, galleries, shops, restaurants and even a cinema to allure people into the city. Not only this, security needed to be created, giving the Barbican its exclusive and fashionable persona. I visited the Barbican in October and noted the apparent fortress inspiration. The architects entangled clever design elements to make the estate feel secure. The exterior is largely flat, concealing the interest inside, tempting one to walk straight past it. The entrances are notoriously hidden and difficult to find, and once in, the complex walkways discourage the ordinary man from wandering. However, as well as physical defences, there are also more poetic elements including the slit openings as pictured above suggesting soldiers inside, attacking trespassers, maintaining the safe image. The Barbican is an exceptional example of British modernism through the combination of texture and shapes, ranging from the contrast of concrete, excessive green space, an outlandish green waterfall, and the rust glazed tiles. The repetition of the semicircle throughout the estate becomes a symbol, as it is repeatedly contorted. This is architectural storytelling at its finest, dynamic and ingenious. The estate was initially designed to be a combination of private and social housing, however, after Margaret Thatcher’s disastrous Right to Buy Act introduced in 1980, the majority of the homes were sold to private Landlords. I believe that this is one of the weakest elements of the Barbican. Its Central location and cultural centre invites a wealthy client/ resident. Consequently, the social mix that could have been blended from private and council tenants would have been invaluable. This class mix is something that now is an apparent problem within Britain. As postcodes change, so do salaries which segregates communities and creates an elitist impression. It’s vital that city planners, architects and councils review this negative
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