To think the Barbican Estate in London is a masterpiece?

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I never really liked concrete or 1960s architecture until I did the Architecture Tour on the Barbican Estate a few days ago. Now I “understand” it and can really appreciate it. Living there would be a dream. AIBU to consider it a masterpiece?

Yes I thought the same. Why they didn't power clean that balcony is beyond me. It looks grim. Also even by Barbican standards that is extremely expensive for a 2 bed flat/duplex, last sold in 2013 (and overpriced then).

You get a good view of the London skyline, amazing at night

But it's just concrete. The flat the poster linked to early in the thread is a tiny concrete balcony overlooking a grey concrete courtyard and another grey concrete block of flats.

I appreciate we're all different but it just looks so grim and soul-destroying.

I'm not a London person though and the London skyline is equally grim to me!

Yes, I moved out of London to a prosperous, chocolate-box-pretty village, and learned that a roomy, pretty, 4-bed house and nice walks in no way compensated for the Londonness of London as experienced from our tiny one-bed flat.

Hideously ugly - though that’s a subjective view.

Forbidding, disorientating and perilous in the dark - that’s a bit more objective.

You do realize thats just one flat in the barbican and other flats have different views?

For all the people who said it is lacking in greenery - there are two large residents only gardens and two children's playgrounds plus a wildlife garden.

Lovely mature planting, lots of trees, very safe, even in the evenings. Lots of residents go for an after dinner stroll around them.

There is also the enormous Conservatory, like being in Kew Gardens so you can have your plant and nature fix in a more tropical setting. It is also accessible to residents only but with a few public tours as well.

(Sadly I don't live there myself but have visited people who do and it is also my dream retirement flat)

There is a renewal process underway at the Barbican centre replacing some older internal infrastructure (anyone who has been to the toilets in the theatre knows the plumbing is arcane) and a key part of it is also better way finding for those of you who get lost.
www.barbican.org.uk/our-story/how-were-changing/barbican-renewal

Well, because I don't need or want the seaside, a large house, stairs, a garage or private parking? And I like inner-city living, flats, hammered concrete, compact spaces and modern design?

All these people saying they "can't believe" someone would like what they themselves do not like. If we all liked the same sort of thing, the world would be a very difficult place!

Adjacent to this, I remember years ago getting the bus to work from the Isle of Dogs, and we’d pass a brutalist estate around Poplar that to me looked absolutely awful. I looked it up, and realised it was the Robin Hood estate. It’s since been demolished, but there was a campaign by various architects to retain it. I’m sure some residents did like living there, but I wouldn’t be surprised if many considered it an eyesore.

Apparently the practice of empty-nesters selling up and moving to the country is falling into disfavour. More and more people are retiring to the centre of town.

If we sell the suburban family home, it’ll be to move back into London. Not the bloody Barbican though.

But you’re not ‘lucky’ to live in a village, it’s your choice. (If you are able to afford a home at all)

Anyone who can afford a flat in the Barbican could afford at least one property in your village and probably two. So it’s a choice to live there. Based on different preferences. Not misfortune.

And anyone who can afford a flat in the Barbican can afford somewhere in a quieter area/ older housing, a cute house etc. so hardly ‘shoved’ anywhere.

I was just using that link as an example as PP had posted about how wonderful it was.

I can understand we're all different without "getting" the appeal of living in a dirty, concrete, overcrowded and polluted city.

I'm glad more people don't want to live where I do - it would be totally ruined if they did

I doubt that makes the Barbican residents feel any better! 😁

Drug dealing probably happens in most areas..at least barb residents can pay top dollar for their coke!

In the late 90s I worked nearby and almost bought a large studio there (Bryer Court), love the place. I ended up buying a total dud flat in zone 3. One of my biggest financial regrets.

I think it's magnificent, I studied at GSMD in the early 80's so spent a lot of time there. If I came into a vast sum of money (unlikely) I think I would give serious consideration to moving there.

If I won the lottery I’d buy a flat there in a heartbeat.

Not really. It's hideous and mostly owned by people who paid a pittance for their now million pound flat due to that ridiculous Right to Buy scheme, and no doubt rent them out for extortionate amounts.

I like the way some Brutalist architecture looks and I think its history in the UK is fascinating, but I'd never say that I love that type of architecture because the majority of housing that has been built in that style in the UK is very poor quality. People on this thread have talked about the lack of maintenance leading to some Brutalist developments becoming slum-like but actually the materials and building techniques commonly used simply aren't suitable for our climate so these developments were doomed to fail. For example, the unpainted, raw concrete known as Breton Brut is porous and soaks up rain and moisture and in the UK climate it does not dry out quickly leading to the growth of lichen, moss and mould. Lack of insulation and masses of cold concrete also allows condensation to form inside, leading to more mould. And a focus on aesethics over practicalities often mean that things like proper drainage were overlooked and flat roofs were popular. The style was influenced by the work of Le Corbusier in the south of France, where the climate was much more forgiving of flat roofs and porous concrete. In the UK much of our residential Brutalist buildings have been torn down after a relatively short period because they were unliveable, so it's good to hear that the Barbican is a thriving place to live that is seen as desirable by many. I wonder if that's because the climate is more suitable in London than elsewhere in the UK or if something was different about the building materials? Does anyone here know?

I think it's cool but creepy. It's not a very good use of public space. There's only one green bit and it's private. Like when you're there in the midst of it you feel like there are no amenities anywhere near. Unless you want to go to the theatre.

There's that fountain pond thing but the rest is just podiums and walkways with nothing but the bottom part of blocks of flats. I always get lost as well.

I guess maybe it's not a public space at all. The tropical conservatory thing is quite cool but it's hardly ever open. But I do love it's distinctive look and feel. Even though you do feel kind of 'othered' by being there. Like you're out of place as you don't live there?

I am fascinated by brutalism and would love a proper walk round the Barbican. I've been to the former Museum of London but didn't have time for a proper look round the area. I had to laugh at my struggle to find my way into the MOL - such a common feature of brutalism, to separate pedestrians and road users rather too well!

I must admit my real fascination lies in brutalism done badly - which, obviously, the Barbican is not - all those decaying system-built monstrosities - I can look at those for hours.

I'd love to do the Barbican tour but I live at the other end of the country and it's expensive to go to London!

It's a private estate.
Right to Buy wouldn't have applied.

I disagree with you OP. I dislike brutalist architecture. Though I would acknowledge it as the least worst of its kind.

Wouldn’t like to live there as the City is dead on the weekend once all the office workers go home. The colours are dark and depressing, and all the different levels/walkways make no sense. I hate Brutalism though, find it pretentious and inhuman.