The Barbican Centre and other complicated buildings you get lost in

[Whiskeyinthejar]

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.

The new underground parking at Westfield White City is now a nightmare to leave from and it is impossible to get back on the A40 without taking a convoluted route.

Hemel Hempstead is another hospital built like a 4d maze. I couldn’t find the right department for my appointment despite arriving with 35 minutes to spare and ended up walking around it in the pouring rain so as not to be late!

@Azelma @DrPeppersPhD Haha, as soon as you mentioned these buildings I knew where you meant!

Oh god yes, the Barbican is a total maze! And there was a building at my uni, designed by the same architects as the Barbican, that was also ludicrously confusing and difficult to find where you needed to be! Have also fallen foul of Bank station more times than I care to remember.

Designed by an architect most famous for his prisons, ironically.
Jeffrey Archer describes the labyrinthine ways of Belmarsh prison, saying that even if you worked there, it must take several weeks before you could confidently find your way around.

When I'm not in a hurry to get somewhere, I love the feeling of being lost in maze-like places, and walking in woods. I used to wander a lot in London, and I'd walk into some unknown streets, to see how soon I came out somewhere I recognised. I'd only look at the map afterwards! A few times a friend set me a challenge of driving me to an unfamiliar part of the city, leaving me there to work out where I was, and to find my way home by public transport. To make sure I had no idea where I started, for the outward journey I was blindfolded, and my friend would begin by going round a roundabout several times, so I wouldn't know which direction we were heading! I loved the gradual process of working out where I was, and then how to get back. (I'd have a map and phone with me - only to be used in an emergency!)

@wanderings
I do like the feeling of walking, and as long as I'm not using a map my sense of direction isn't bad, but that building isn't much fun when you're nearly late for the seminar with the lecturer you've pissed off on day 1.

I don’t know if it’s ever been revamped as I have’t been there in years, but Debenhams in Nottingham is/was like a warren with half floors and side rooms a plenty

My local pub.
Easy enough to get in, a bugger to get out

The worst place in London for getting lost is the Elephant and Castle.

Oh no about the Barbican. I went once with school to watch Macbeth and of course we were dropped very close in our coach. Brilliant place. Was hoping to go back with DD but maybe not.

The basement at the Science Museum, London. Was trying to find their toddler area and I couldn't find the lift to take us down, then I couldn't find it again to go back up! Thought I'd be stuck with all the noisy toddlers forever.

It's the levels in the Barbican that fox me, and the lifts that only go to certain floors.

I used to work in a building that was one older building with another built on to the back of it. It was chaotic. Staircases didn't go where you'd think they ought and the floor numbers in the lift signs were different from the ones on the floorplan and on the actual walls.

My colleague swore blind one day that she'd walked up a staircase she'd never seen before and that didn't go anywhere. She couldn't find it again to show us

Trying to find the car park entrance for Bentalls in Kingston. Every time!
And yes to new car park in Westfield.
The worst though is Frankfurt airport

@RossPoldarkfan YES! Every. single. time. I go there, I'm wandering around for at least 10 minutes trying to either find a way to cross the road, or find the effing bus I'm supposed to catch. That's another anxiety inducing labyrinth. I avoid Elephant & Castle like the plague.

I used to do a bit of work at The Barbican - housing related rather than in the arts complex. I can navigate it in the direction from my old office but not from the Moorgate side .

I love that fact that people have mentioned Jenner's - as that was my instant thought. I also have issues with Waxy O'Connors in Glasgow!

Agree with the Barbican. I tend to avoid it. Denver airport which I’ve had to use a lot over the years. It is so confusing because it’s all mirror image in design so you can walk for ages in the wrong direction with no idea. Sometimes I’ve had to go outside to see if I’m facing the mountains or the plains to work out if I’m in the right place. Bad enough being jet lagged without that on top. Northern line interchanges. Kings cross generally both before and after refurb.

yes to Jenners and all its mezzanine floors!
also the Scottish parlaiment building which bedsides being ugliest building on the planet, is just a maze of bare concrete walls and stairways. hideous place

Love this thread. Surely Somerset House should get a mention? I thought it's notoriously confusing and the signage is just disastrous.

Yes to Bank station, always end up a sweaty mess marching along platforms and up and down little spiral stairs to get anywhere. Changed trains there many times but just last month discovered a set of lifts going directly to the concourse, now I can't for the life of me say where they are!

I'd lived near the Barbican for years and walked through it countless times. One hot summer day years ago I was cutting through as a shortcut determined to get through it easily and I stumbled across the water feature. Intrigued by it, I ventured back in a few days later and could I find the fucker? Nope.
Roll on the following year and we had been to the marathon and walked back via a pub crawl. Ended up in the Barbican, walked out with a drink in hand and there's the water feature. Relieved as I thought I had imagined that one.
Took me countless trips with a local school to successfully get in and out of the library.
Still, don't know why I am determined to try and navigate from Moorgate side to Whitecross Street side.
Finding the church as long as I go in from the street side, not a problem, try and go up a ramp and I wander around.

Google maps are impossible. A few months back I needed to get somewhere at the side of the tube station from Whitecross side. Not a problem. Maps sent me into the Barbican, went a bit crazy and sent me over the bridge to bring to out of the station. Basically, an extra 10 minutes to cross a bloody road.

Love the local pub suggestion. Mine can be hard to get out of also. I agree with Somerset house. When it was still operating as a court (with a car park in the courtyard) it was a nightmare trying to find courts judges clients etc. No better now. Royal opera house unless you know it is difficult. I think even worse with the new ‘open up’ unveil recently. I find Clapham junction train station confusing if used as an interchange. Most large department stores with no natural light confuse me - hate shopping so it’s not a frequent problem 😬

There’s a few branches of a family owned restaurant in Glasgow. 2 of the branches don’t seem like they’re that close but they’re connected underground and share the same toilets. I got lost on my way back and ended up in the wrong restaurant! Happens all the time apparently.

Takeachanceyonme. How amazing. I kind of want to come to Glasgow just to do that !!! Made me laugh. I imaging if you had a bit much to drink it could be even more confusing.

Yes Sithee Debenhams in Nottingham is quite posh now after the revamp but still confuses my little brain. The QMC hospital also difficult, as is the City Hospital - I have to look at the signs very carefully indeed.

@HeronLanyon you should, seems like Glasgow and Edinburgh have lots of buildings to get lost in. The food in those restaurants is great too - Fratelli Sarti.

Thank you ! Shall check out next time there ( would be first time for Glasgow but keep hearing it is fantastic city)