Barbican landscape architecture review

Tom Turner argues that the landscape architecture of the Barbican is 'half good and half terrible' . The housing estate was designed by Chamberlin Powell and Bon in the 1950s. Robert Holden argues that 'awful' is insufficiently analytical as a criticism of the podium public open spaces. Alistair Cooke thought the Barbican was a cross between a medieval fortress and the worst of Le Corubusier.
The sunken courtyards at the Barbican are a great success - probably the best twentieth century residential landscape architecture in the UK.
Significant improvements to some of the public spaces have been carried out by landscape architects Janet Jack and Nigel Dunnett.
Further work on sustainable surface water management SUDS could bring about further improvements.

[@DoreenManning]

Coupled with this gorgeous footage, I have to say that that conversation was just very satisfying to listen to. You have a handful of clearly very intelligent people who are calmly making their points and arguments and just letting each other say their piece without cutting over each other or sniping. Just lovely and very insightful to listen to.

[@theghostofsabertache9049]

I always thought the Barbican was an ugly, dystopian, maze like hellscape until I got to know it and I discovered the lake and conservatory. Yes it does have its ugly side but there are parts of it that are just unbelievable like the water feature at the lake. It’s a great piece of architecture

[@hangerlondoncom5290]

The complex does grow on you, interesting talk chaps

[@hollowaysteve]

I absolutely love the Barbican. I wish I could live there.

[@raethia]

Excellent maintenance,, everything nice and clean. Something we completely lack in Italy.

[@MrVorpalsword]

Yep, put this in a post-industrial skint (£ & intellectually) Northern English or Scottish town and it would be a neglected graffiti gallery with grass growing up through the tiles and drug addicts round every corner The flats with their connections to the squares .... the green balconies need to be part of this little study especially the way balconies can lead the eye to the squares while blocking out what is immediately next to the block (often a road in other buildings).

[@raethia]

@@MrVorpalsword I mentioned it only because it looks familiar where I come from

[@MrVorpalsword]

@@raethia I know x

[@simonhindle4220]

Great this was done in the unreal game engine very impressive

[@user-tl5om1ow2b]

Holy shit I had no idea until I read this

[@markacohen1]

an arcades structure makes internal walkways livable and beautiful, but that wasn't done here for many reasons

[@Liggie55821]

Could you do an exact replication of the Barbican today without all that concrete?

[@LandscapeArchitecture]

Concrete takes paint well so that would be the easy way of doing it.

[@MrMarkdolby1]

Love the Barbican

[@MrBoliao98]

It's not that the housing estate was well built or have good design.
I frankly believe it's just that there people living there are middle class - upper middle class people.
The people care about their surroundings and invest in their own neighborhoods.

[@LandscapeArchitecture]

A sense of ownership is surely important and this is something that can be found in most income groups.

[@MrBoliao98]

@@LandscapeArchitecture not if you can't afford it.

[@LandscapeArchitecture]

@@MrBoliao98 In the UK you can find examples of immaculate gardens and balconies on low-income rented properties and in India I've seen whole villages of mud-built houses with beautifully kept gardens. If you have the space, making a garden need not cost any money. But yes, I have also seen large council estates in the UK where all the outdoor space (private and communal) is neglected. So I don't think its all about money.

[@aggiesjc]

Barbican strikes me as depressing, with lackluster landscaping, grim water features, and looming, oppressive towers.

[@LandscapeArchitecture]

Many aspects of the Barbican are indeed depressing. No doubt about it in my mind. But I do not see the central water feature is 'grim' (though it was better when it was peppered with small fountains) and the towers are much less depressing than most of the residential towers built in London between then and now. On a warm sunny day the central water feature can be "joyful"! Tom.

[@jeffreybail353]

absolutley waste of space serving the rich that have 3 other houses they more prefer to live in, this place is dead and deppressing probably intended