Lifts
There are three ‘access cores’ for stairs and lifts serving the residential floors of the building. These are columns containing lifts and stairs rising up the full height of the building and then opening onto the residential corridors of Frobisher Crescent.
The West core – lifts 23 and 24.
The West core contains passenger lifts 23 and 24. Access to lifts 23 and 24 and stairs is from Defoe Place at south podium level (the route for concertgoers from Barbican Tube station to the Barbican Centre). So that does not involve entering the Barbican Centre itself, and it is available 24 hours a day. The lifts can also be accessed from the car park level.
The North (central) core – lift 25.
The North core contains lifts 25 and 26. Residents only have access to lift 25. Lift 26 is used exclusively by the Barbican Centre. The North core can be accessed from the corridor behind the Barbican Centre at south podium level. This corridor is a pedestrian route for the public to get from one side of the estate to the other, and also to get to the Barbican Centre. But the corridor is only available for use by residents during hours when the Barbican Centre is open. The Barbican Centre control it, and they lock gates at both ends at midnight, which restricts access to lift 25, at that level. But there is access to lift 25 at an external level above (i.e at north podium level) by use of an electronic ‘fob’, via a glass door from Ben Jonson Place, and this is available at all hours.
The East core – lift 27.
The East core contains lift 27. This access core is within the Barbican Centre. When the Barbican Centre is open, residents can reach the lift and stairs via the Barbican Centre’s main entrance at Silk Street, and also via an entrance to the Barbican Centre at south podium level, one storey above (the level of Speed House). When the Barbican Centre is closed, there is a glazed door across the corridor leading to the south podium level lift entrance; Frobisher Court residents have key access to it. There is an additional private entrance from Silk Street next to the Barbican Centre. This is for the exclusive use of Frobisher Crescent residents and is available 24 hours a day, so that there is always access to lift 27 even when the Barbican Centre is closed.
‘Street’ access
South Podium – Defoe Place. The lowest part of Frobisher Crescent which is also above ground level is on Defoe Place (which is part of the south podium). At this level, an internal corridor runs beneath the building, behind the Barbican Centre, from Defoe Place to Speed House.
North Podium – Ben Jonson Place – The Sculpture Court. There are steps up from Defoe Place to a courtyard, called ‘the Sculpture Court’. The Frobisher Crescent flats face onto the Sculpture Court at the front. At the back the flats face onto Ben Jonson Place. Ben Jonson Place is north podium level.