You are here: The story of The Barbican
summary
A precise story of decision and craft: a 35-acre Barbican estate delivers 2,113 flats, three schools, the Guild Hall and a 2,000-seat concert hall after 20+ years of phased work. Engineers Arup isolate the Circle line with rubber dampers and complex retaining walls to excavate a subterranean hall; concrete uses hand pick‑hammered basalt aggregate; kitchens move to interior with mechanical ventilation to preserve density. Pay attention to numbers, materials, engineering fixes and whether each gamble actually works.
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chapters (24)
- 0:00Barbican introduction
- 1:01First visit to Barbican scale
- 2:25Roman origins of Barbican
- 3:50Post-war London and Blitz
- 4:54Abercrombie’s London plans
- 7:00Golden Lane Estate housing
- 8:23Architects win competition
- 9:47Barbican redevelopment conflict
- 12:13Unofficial commission revised plans
- 13:37Government housing policy shift
- 14:42Engineering challenges approved
- 15:44Isolating Circle Line tracks
- 16:46Kitchen ventilation debate
- 17:52Expanding performance spaces
- 19:15Concert hall excavation
- 20:57Residents move in opening
- 21:39Architectural details tributes
- 23:44Dramatic audience entrances
- 24:25Underground car parks maze
- 25:08Fly tower conservatory solution
- 25:51Concrete finishes materials
- 27:16Public opinion legacy
- 27:59Three architects success
- 31:07Chaos in modern tech
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