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Original poster

The Barbican Centre and other complicated buildings you get lost in

151 replies

Whiskeyinthejar · 03/10/2018 16:35

Does anyone else find the Barbican Centre absolutely infuriating? I can't remember the last time I was walking round and round in circles so much! I swear these unnecessarily complicated brutalist hellholes were built deliberately to get people lost.

OP posts:
FlibbertyGiblets · 03/10/2018 17:34

I am so envious of you ikea-is-easy lot! I'll bet you all are dab hands at map reading and don't have to turn the map upside down if travelling south!

JuneFromBethesda · 03/10/2018 17:36

I used to work there too Bluths! I wonder if ours paths ever crossed ...

OP if it makes you feel any better I once had to rescue a conductor who got lost backstage - he wanted to talk to the choir, who were the floor above where he was, he took the lift, went to the wrong floor and ended up outside the hall - this was just before the concert started and the audience was sitting in silence for a few minutes while we tried to locate him ...!

It’s not that confusing once you get to know your way around but I used to dread people asking me directions as I was worried I’d end up sending them in the wrong direction entirely.

glintandglide · 03/10/2018 17:36

I had my graduation ceremony in the Barbican centre and I’m still annoyed by it Angry

MrsPussinBoots · 03/10/2018 17:36

Trago Mills in Devon. Nearly had a panic attack there after getting lost.

DrPeppersPhD · 03/10/2018 19:57

@Azelma
Yup, total nightmare!

FekkoTheLawyer · 03/10/2018 20:00

I hear they have gender neutral loos these days.... And a girls school on the estate.

Original poster
Whiskeyinthejar · 03/10/2018 20:14

The school has been there for a long time. According to the Wikipedia page it was founded over 100 years ago.

They only have gender neutral loos on the basement floor where the cinema is. All the other floors have separate men's and women's loos.

OP posts:
FekkoTheLawyer · 03/10/2018 20:17

Yes I know the school well. Someone tols me that the loos on the ground floor were 'everyone' too. Next to the cinema eh - where they have million little kids at the Saturday kids screening. I hope it's for nappy changing facilities (long time since DS was little).

Original poster
Whiskeyinthejar · 03/10/2018 20:21

I couldn't find any loos at all on the ground floor! It was so complicated. It took ages for me to find a staircase up.

OP posts:
FekkoTheLawyer · 03/10/2018 20:26

They are down the stairs though aren't they so technically not ground nor -1.

Original poster
Whiskeyinthejar · 03/10/2018 20:26

I'll take your word for it. I wouldn't know as I couldn't find them.Grin

OP posts:
Thurlow · 03/10/2018 20:27

DP used to work for City of London Police. As you can imagine, not much happens in the City on a Sunday night shift. They loved them Barbican as they used to play epic games of Hide and Seek there when nothing was going on!

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 03/10/2018 20:33

Ocean Terminal/Harbour City shopping mall in Hong Kong. I genuinely thought DD1 and I were never getting out of there. We’d already walked miles before we went in, only found DD2 and DH, in there too, by accident. I was holding back sobs when we discovered themBlush

Floyella · 03/10/2018 20:33

Birmingham bloody Symphony Hall. It's like an Escher painting.

BrazzleDazzleDay · 03/10/2018 20:33

Waxy O'Connells in Glasgow, especially after a few!

HopelesslydevotedtoGu · 03/10/2018 20:36

I previously lived near an Aldi or Lidl type supermarket which was like a cavernous warehouse, with trolleys and boxes everywhere so you couldn't see far to navigate.

I saw an increasingly panicked looking Eastern European lady approach three people asking where the "eggs" were, eventually someone realised she was looking for the Exit and had been repeatedly directed to the back where the eggs were!

user1486076969 · 03/10/2018 20:37

I agree re the BarbicanGrin

MsHomeSlice · 03/10/2018 20:38

Libertys!

I used to know my way round Libertys and The Barbican centre, but that's years ago...lots of wandering in my student years!

last time I went to Liberty's I couldn't get out of the Christmas department!

iMatter · 03/10/2018 20:40

I lived in the Barbican for 2 years.

It took me for ever to get to grips with it all.

VickieCherry · 03/10/2018 20:40

I work near the Barbican, but can't go at lunchtime as I get lost and am invariably late back to work Grin

opinionatedfreak · 03/10/2018 20:43

I used to live in the Barbican and learnt to get around it through various resident only shortcuts e.g. Via the garden.

Now I'm back to being a non resident without a key I'm stumped about how to get from A-B. Or even worse trapped!! I thoughtlessly followed someone in to a resident's only area. Confidentially walked off in the direction I needed to go and then realised I couldn't get out as I no longer had a key. It was a slightly difficult conversation with the person who did eventually let me out.

I'm desperate to move back I loved it!!

Greenandcabbagelooking · 03/10/2018 20:48

I know the university with mirror image buildings! Very confusing, even after 5 years I was still getting lost. Apparently, they were designed that way to prevent student riots.

I would like to add Westfield White City. So confusing so you end up walking miles trying to find a shop you walked past earlier!

donajimena · 03/10/2018 20:51

Another vote for canary wharf. I swear if my brother hadn't bumped into me I'd still be there (visited him in April)

itsboiledeggsagain · 03/10/2018 20:53

@madison - Oldbury weatherspoons?

groundcontroltomontydon · 03/10/2018 21:04

Dear God yes the Barbican - it's like the Hotel California