‘Concrete hellscape’ named in list of Britain’s most beautiful buildings

The Barbican Centre is often described arsenic Marmite: you either emotion it oregon hatred it. 

For some, the monolithic factual estate is simply a ‘soulless’, maze-like ‘hellscape’. But, for others, it’s an ‘architectural treasure’ and ‘one of the wonders of the modern world’. 

Yet, contempt disagreement, London’s divisive analyzable has present been named 1 of Britain’s astir beauteous buildings. 

Hotel radical Leonardo Hotels UK & Ireland compiled the 30-strong ranking of buildings by asking 2,000 Brits what structures they believed to beryllium the astir stunning crossed the country. 

Buckingham Palace claimed the apical spot, with 24% of the votes, and St Paul’s Cathedral came second, taking 21% of the votes. The Tower of London came adjacent down successful third, with 20% of votes. 

While not a expansive palace, historical castle oregon stunning church, The Barbican Centre, a Grade II listed building, besides made the list, coming successful astatine 27th place, receiving conscionable 4% of votes.

The thought for the Barbican Centre was conceived successful the 1940s arsenic portion of a post-war regeneration of the country (then known arsenic Cripplegate), which had been astir destroyed during the Blitz. 

Construction didn’t statesman until the 1960s, with architects Peter ‘Joe’ Chamberlin, Geoffry Powell, and Christoph Bon inspired to make a ‘city wrong a city’. 

Their imaginativeness was to physique an full neighbourhood with everything that residents mightiness request – homes, schools, greenish spaces, creation venues, and shops – successful 1 self-contained abstraction that offered some surviving abstraction and leisure activities. 

The task was completed successful 1982 aft galore delays and the centre was inaugurated by the precocious Queen Elizabeth II, who described it arsenic ‘one of the wonders of the modern world’.

The effect has been described arsenic a ‘striking illustration of Brutalist architecture’, with earthy factual and bold geometric designs. 

The analyzable itself spans 40 acres and consists of 19 lodging blocks, which supply astir 2,000 homes, including flats, operation blocks, mews and townhouses.

The property features a web of raised walkways that abstracted pedestrians from traffic, aggregate theatres, cafes, a performance hall, a cinema and an creation gallery. 

It besides houses the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, a ample nationalist library, and a conservatory filled with tropical plants, with ample h2o gardens and terraces surrounding the facilities. 

But contempt the countless amenities and agelong history, the colossal analyzable has agelong divided those who regard upon it, and was declared ‘London’s ugliest building’ successful 2003. 

One Tripadvisor reappraisal of the site, near by Greg S, claimed the tract is an ‘incoherent mess’ and ‘needs demolishing’. 

He wrote: ‘[There are] capable stairs to springiness Escher nightmares. Vast unfastened spaces which marque small sense. The 2 conduit stations aren’t close, and the way to the Barbican is an unpleasant factual hellscape.’

Another review, near by ‘LCPUSA’ said: ‘I bash not cognize if I americium offending Londoners by saying so, but the Barbican was the worst sojourn successful London. It is simply a monolithic lodging complex, with theatres inside. I had the content I was visiting thing from the Soviet epoch oregon a super-block successful the metropolis of Brasilia. Not absorbing astatine all.’

One reviewer ‘micm0nr0’ claimed: ‘Whoever designed the Barbican Centre was not successful their close mind.’ 

Meanwhile, idiosyncratic ‘Death Trip’ asked: ‘Why did idiosyncratic physique specified a horrible-looking building?’, and reviewer ‘Whichweay’ echoed: ‘It is soulless and not an charismatic venue.’ 

Others, however, are overmuch much protective of the Brutalist building. Reviewer ‘petersM5407YA’ described it arsenic ‘one of the bravest and astir striking pieces of nationalist architecture the state has to offer’. 

‘The Florentine Prince’ dubbed it an ‘impressive illustration of brutal architecture’.

They wrote: ‘[It’s an] awesome illustration of brutal architecture. I person visited it for respective reasons: movie theatre, library, moving and chilling. I person ne'er been disappointed. Hence, I highly suggest visiting this unsocial wood of concrete.’

The Barbican itself is besides self-assured, with its website dubbing it arsenic ‘one of the UK’s architectural treasures’. 

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