Barbican Living
Description of Bryer Court
Bryer Court (completed in February 1973) is a terrace block which runs north to south on the north podium of the estate. It forms a 'U' with John Trundle Court (also a north to south terrace block) and Bunyan Court, an east to west terrace which runs between them. Bunyan Court and John Trundle Court are connected, but Bryer Court stands slightly apart on its own. Bryer Court is the narrowest block on the estate, so it is made up entirely of studio flats. There are 56 virtually identical studios on 7 storeys, starting above podium level. Flats are numbered 101 - 108, 201 - 208, 301 - 308, 401 - 408, 501 - 508, 601 - 608, 701 - 708. It does not have a back view because of the presence right behind it, of Murray House (built in 1956) which sticks incongruously into the back of the Barbican site.
You can get to Bryer Court from Fann Street, past the launderette and up the ramp to the north podium. It has an unusual entrance arrangement. Instead of lifts at both ends of the block, there is just one entrance at the Ben Jonson House end. As if to compensate, they rather ludicrously gave it two entrance doors side by side, as if there was going to be a crush of people trying to get in and out like school parties at the National Gallery. There is yet another door next to them for the stairs. The access corridor at the back of each floor has a waist-high concrete wall and glazing above that. But on the seventh floor – which has no lift, so you have to walk up – all you have is an open metal frame with some glass panels so low that their only purpose can be to give you something to trip over. No one with a tendency to vertigo should come up here. To make it worse, the flagstones are loose and tilt as you walk. 03 level takes you out into the car park. 02 level takes you out to the Barbican Parade Centre vehicle entrance, where Holmes Place parks their cars.
This group of buildings enclose Beech Gardens, which is a natural garden in a semi-formal layout. It has interestingly shaped individual gardens set in the brick surface, which is itself at different levels. The bricks have been laid in swirly patterns to lead you through bushes to stepped areas where there are seats. The bushes are larger here than almost anywhere else. Beech Gardens becomes John Trundle Highwalk near the bridge over Aldersgate Street to the Barbican Station. Bryer Court has its own little lake at the front in Beech Gardens, with gently bubbling fountains and lots of plant life, but apparently no fish.
