[Music: Roseanne Reid: All I Need (feeat. Rory Butler)]
If I could live in London, I’d be curious to live at the Barbican. I wonder what life would be like. Would it be difficult to get groceries from day-to-day? Would the brutalist architecture become gruesome in the winter during the short grey days? It seems almost like I’d be signing up for a social experiment of some kind. I think being at proximity to the constant stream of amazing performances could make up for it all.
The last time I went, I walked and was very lost trying to find the entrance, but this time I took the tube and wow, that was way easier. The tube exit had signage and direct stairway access to the maze of connecting walkways and platforms. This depth of thought (and opportunity) in urban planning is so rare- where even art, culture, historical preservation are taken into account.
On this visit, I wanted to see the main performance hall. Again, the Barbican Center itself is free and open to the public- you’ll always see people hanging out, working or socializing- with no need to purchase a ticket to access the facility. The only thing you need a ticket for is a performance in one of the halls.
To be honest, I loved the design of the hall but the practicality of the seating arrangement just wasn’t there. I like to sit in the front row of the balcony to get an unfettered view, but either I was too short or the distance to the edge of the balcony was too far or something- it was odd. The aesthetics and acoustics were pretty phenominal- I’d definitely try a different section though if I went again.
I found a clever little book called “Rainy Days in London” and low and behold it surprised me when I learned that there’s another part of the Barbican that I had no idea existed- The Conservatory. Much harder to get access to with limited days and times for access, on top of a release schedule for tickets, it’ll be a much harder task to achieve… but who doesn’t love a good challenge. 😉
It’s important for me to share with others spaces that inspire me. The “walls” that surround us can set the context like people or other circumstances and influence our condition. To be surrounded by thoughtful design should be a basic need that is fulfilled for every human – it shapes how we feel and how we think, how we move through the world.
Address: Silk St, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DS, United Kingdom
Website: ArchDaily write up
ofallthespaces 