To think the Barbican Estate in London is a masterpiece?

[zymbole]

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?

It's a stunning development, but yes, it takes some explaining understanding and appreciation! Good for you in changing your mind 👌

Always hated it with a passion, it feels so creepy, it stinks, it's dark and a maze. But to each their own I guess lol

I'm not that fond of the barbican, but it kinda reminds me of the new brunswick estate in holborn. I'd love to live there. It used to be a dump but somehow got smartened up and now looks great. And the area is really nice too.

The Barbican is gorgeous and it would be a kind of heaven to live there.

However it was a lucky housing estate. Very very well-maintained over the decades.

If it had been less well-managed, or, if we're being honest, lived in by people who couldn't afford high service charges, it would be a hellhole.

Lots of steps.
i’ve been inside a couple of the flats. Identical to a Newham council block, except that the lifts (mostly) work and don’t smell of wee.

I grew up not far from there. It’s certainly impressive, but from what I’ve heard it’s very much form over function for eg the bin chutes don’t work effectively- big issue when so many people live in a tight space. And you pay massively for the privilege. I’d personally take my 1.5million elsewhere

We just started watching a tv series (The Agency) where the lead character (Michael Fassbender) lives in a flat on the 29th floor. Lots of interior and exterior scenes. It works well as a moody backdrop for spy dramas.

Another tour-taker. It was so interesting.
I love it.
Have you seen this website

https://space-play.co.uk/collections/concrete-minis

Fascinating thread as I’d never heard of it!

I look at those links posted and wanted to cry. Looks like the most miserable, claustrophobic, depressing, gloomy place, inside and out. I don’t know which would be worse for me, a dark winter’s day or a boiling hot one.
Rural living for me, but at least some love it so it works for them

It’s really not either/or. I’ve happily lived in a tiny space in central London for many years, and though I’ve never lived in the Barbican, it’s gorgeous to walk around in, but I’ve also lived very happily for almost as many years in fairly remote rural places, and a stint on an island where I was the only inhabitant.

Agree it's not either/or. I live happily in a beautiful rural spot in the Cotswolds and always have done, but my DD was at GSMD in the late 90s and I used to visit her there often, and we absolutely loved the Barbican. It would still be her dream to have a flat there..

We did a tour of 'Brutalist London' a few years ago and I learned to really appreciate the unique beauty of grey concrete 😀

No didn’t say it had to be, just for me it is. I couldn’t ever be convinced to live there but it’s nice that it’s someone else’s ideal

@zymbole if you like Brutalist architecture, watch the ITV series Betrayal, I think the location team found a few absolute gems to set the action in.

I love it.

I agree!

It looks awful, and the house mentioned by a previous poster is hideously ugly!

I’ve taken the tour too. I adore The Barbican. I often go to the cinema with my daughters there.

I absolutely love it and remember going to a party there in the 80s. It was a fabulous apartment with a wrap around balcony. Back then and in the 90s the Cuty or London during evenings and weekends but it’s a lot more vibrant these days.

Remember it being built and when it opened. And the furore it caused.

The flats, sorry now rebranded as apartments for gullible social climbers. They are a decent size.

However, the outside of the building is really ugly with no proper entrance to the building. Ugliness probably matched only by the Crescents in Hulme Manchester.

Built by John Laing Ltd and McAlpine.
Who along with Wimpey, seemed to get all public sector building contracts.

They must have been really well in with local councils and the government of the day.

Wink, wink. Drop, dop.

I think it's hideous and depressing. Dark, heavy, damp and ugly.
I don't understand the appeal (aside from the location) whatsoever.

My personal idea of hell

The first time I went to the Barbican theatre, I had no idea what the place was. I thought I’d got lost because I couldn’t understand how a theatre was in this awful place. I was horrified 😂
I’m a country girl and the whole place was just so utterly depressing.

None of these links to flats are doing anything for me. I hate modern interior aswell.

I had to go on RightMove last night and look at huge country estates in Yorkshire for 1.5mil just to calm myself 🤣

Noooooo!
It may seem trendy but:
Middle of city so will have traffic noise and pollution.
Views awful to my eyes, brutal communist block
Green spaces are compromised
Quite narrow apartments
Shared heating system so limited control of bills/repairs/outages
Service charges are £5-7K per annum (including heating - but given these are actually quite small flats thats a lot i think)
I could do so much better either in or outside London with £1.15m!

Actually the traffic noise is minimal in the inwards blocks, I have stayed there a number of time and its eerily quiet for central London!