Mike Nelson: The Asset Strippers

Coming soon

Completed in 1982, The Barbican centre is an example of 1970s (?) brutalist architecture, taking the form of a giant arts centre in central London.
Earthy, natural textures - shingle-like wall textures, smooth formed concrete ceilings, wood block flooring (rectangular blocks cut across the grain facing up with the grain perpenduclar to the floor plane, to create a moaisc like pattern of all of the individual grain patterns in the block) the look about 150MM deep. The depths of the block can be seen where they form the top step of one of the staircases. Ceiling, mouled elements a bit like egg cartons or similar formed terxtured cardboard look like they've all been separatemly moudled then slotted togther
Lighing to pic up shingle-like texture of walls and ceiling,
Cicular and lozinge patterns, squared with curevd edges on the ceiling (doorways, lift openings air vents, plug sockets, vaulted glased dormers)
Trees and planting add a further texture as does the moving water and waterfalls. Date palms, rushes in the water, all catch the wind to create drama, pretty colourful flowers to contrast the solid, rough textured beige walls
The artistic update, wall murials, sculpture lettering, light fittings
Large areas of glazing
The ceiling lights also have coloured backlighst to fill that particular square with a different colour, highlighting the rugged texture of the concrete elements.
Granite or somesort of comosite stone/material formed from small stones or shingle
Beautiful trees, reeds, planting and moving water add to the earthy feel and texture.
Tiling and more traditional brickwork, glazed
Open staircases
Gold featurse in the staircaes, sculture and lettering, golden downlights on the walls picking out their texure
Bright colours not only in the lighting but also the painting
High ceilings, open staircaes and mezzenames floors alowow you tro see right up to the top og the building giving a sense of height and vastness, whils also letting light in from the sky above.
short rectangular battens of wood form the floor, in a mosic like pattern on end so you can see the cut face of the wood whoch forms the floor surface.
Same open staircaese oiutside as in, same ceiling lights outside too.
Round platers outide and round utilitarian
Rounde edges everuywhere
Wovewn elements: staircases, beams, walkways, bridges, colums and soffets
Glazed or smooth surfaced bricks
Colums look like gaint legs
Colossalness of the place.
Boxy elements also, parts that look like

It was built on a site cleared by bombing in WW2. It contains (theatre etc)
Original architect and overhaul architect (total cost)
Awards and listed building
I've visited The Barclican centre many time for various events and exhibitions and really enjoy the space. It will always be particularly special to me as my degree gradiuation ceremony was held there.