Barbican Living

Barbican Arts Centre (See related topics below the picture)

What the Arts Centre offers

The Barbican Centre costs the Corporation of London more than £20 million a year. It’s the London home of the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

It has the Barbican Hall for concerts and the Barbican Theatre and the Pit Theatre for plays, three cinemas and an art gallery.

Conservatory

Who had the brilliant idea of plonking the conservatory on the top of the Barbican Arts Centre? It isn’t in the ‘Barbican Redevelopment 1959’ plan which contained the final designs for the Barbican. Well, whoever you are I raise a glass to you. It’s another of those eccentric elements which make the Barbican. But they’ve cut the budget, cut the gardeners, and cut the opening times and the whisper is that John Tusa wants to get rid of it altogether. And of course you can make something so ragged that it becomes its own argument for demolition. I really urge you to do what you can to save it and have its staff and opening hours restored. It’s worth your concern, even if you don’t personally visit it particularly. You may not visit St Paul’s Cathedral very often but I am sure you’d hate it to be neglected.

The Barbican Conservatory opened in 1984. It’s a tropical enclosure – which may just mean ‘greenhouse’ - full of exotic flora, pools, walkways and fountains.  It contains a variety of temperate and semi-tropical plants. You may recognise some of your house plants  but on a vast scale. (You will know how Alice felt when she drank the first bottle.) In 1986 they added an Arid House with cacti and one plant called ‘Fred’ which is the largest Carnegiea gigantea in Europe, and was donated by the Mayor of Salt Lake City. There used to be finches in an aviary and fish and terrapins in the ponds. Apparently instead of chemicals they rely on natural predators and pathogens to keep down pests. I couldn’t get any up-to-date information because no-one would ring me back.

Car parking

There are four car parks, confusingly numbered 2,3,4 and 5. The entrances for 2 and 3 are off Silk St (near Barbican entrance) and for 4 and 5, off Beech St (but only when travelling in westward direction). They all close at 12 a.m. Car parks 4 and 5 always open at 6 a.m. Car parks 2 and 3 open at 7 a.m. most days; 9 a.m. Saturdays and bank holidays; and 10 a.m. Sundays.

Parking is free for disabled people with an orange/blue badge. It sounds a little complicated to arrange. You should get some help and advice in advance from the House Management Department on 7382 7021. Car park 3 off Silk St has 11 wide car bays for cardholders, with access to the Barbican’s main lifts. Car park 5 also has wide bays, but less effective access to the Barbican. The others have no facilities.

Top | Previous | Next >>