Tom Morris

Can you tell me about yourself?

I was born and raised mostly on the south coast in Hampshire with a few years spent living in Paris. I moved to London to study history of art at UCL and have been here ever since. 

How long have you lived on the Estate?

Almost five years.

What is your occupation?

I’m a design editor and consultant. I’m currently finishing work on a book about contemporary ceramics called “New Wave Clay”. 

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

The architecture. I went to school in Portsmouth. Like this part of London, a lot of the city had been bombed during the war and then rebuilt in the 1960s. Some of it was done very badly, but there was one stunning mixed-use building called the Tricorn that we’d drive past every day to get to school. It was designed by Owen Luder and Rodney Gordon and was my first taste of Brutalism. The Barbican appealed in a weirdly nostalgic way to the schoolboy in me.  

Your favourite feature of Barbican flats?

In my flat: the vaulted ceiling, light, view and laboratory-style grid tiling in the bathroom. More generally, they’re all incredibly well proportioned and almost silent.

How have you found it living in the barbican estate?

It’s like living in the countryside sometimes with the sound of tennis being played downstairs, church bells and squirrels running around on the balcony. I love the library, the local pub on Whitecross Street and the mix of people who live here too. 

Are there any downsides to the Barbican?

Getting Deliveroo to find your front door is always a nightmare. 

Mae & Jay

Can you tell me about yourself?

Mae: I am half Malaysian and half British but I grew up in London, near Angel.

Jay: I grew up in Luxembourg, and then went to boarding school in Ireland before moving to Lancaster for university. After meeting Mae, I decided to move to London and stay.

How long have you lived on the Estate?

We moved in at the start of May this year (2017) and were one of the first to move into the tower after it’s renovation. 

What is your occupation?

Mae: I am a partnerships account manager in a large media agency.

Jay: I work in project management for an engineering consultancy on some huge infrastructure projects.

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

Mae: Having been to primary school in Charterhouse Square and then secondary school at City Girls, the Barbican was always my second home, and whenever I’m inside the estate I feel the concrete strangely comforting. Since moving here, I’ve started going to Zumba class at Golden Lane, and it brings back such happy memories of when I used to go to swimming and tennis lessons there as a young child.

Jay: The first time I came to the Barbican I really wasn’t a fan – it was grey, cold and rainy. But then I went on an architecture tour and learnt more about its history and became really interested. As I grew up right next to a forest, I really appreciate having the wildlife garden next door and the residents’ gardens to relax in. I love having a quiet place to come back to but still being so close to everything.

Your favourite feature of Barbican flats?

Mae: I love the wall-to-wall windows that wrap around our living room, they’re great for people watching or taking in the incredible sunsets.

Jay: The views and the amount of light we get in the living room. I finally get enough to grow some plants!

How have you found it living in the barbican estate?

Mae: I feel so lucky to live here; it is so peaceful and yet so convenient. Being able to walk to work rather than having to take the tube is priceless. I am looking forward to meeting more Barbican residents and getting involved in the community.

Jay: I love living here, as it’s so close to everything. After moving every year for the past six years, I’m excited to finally settle down for a bit longer.

Matt

Can you tell me about yourself?

We've both lived in London all our adult lives, it's certainly home, although not always homely.  The Barbican is our modernist oasis.

How long have you lived on the Estate?

3 years

What is your occupation?

Painter and Design Director / Costume Designer

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

We've been independently drawn to the Barbican for many years, enjoying it both culturally and architecturally.

We were just at the start of our search for an apartment when we came to view a recently available 'type 20'. It immediately felt right and we put put down a deposit the next day.  

Your favourite feature of Barbican flats?

Ergonomic use of space and the light.

How have you found it living in the barbican estate?

It's a privilege to be here.  It's more than just the architecture, the concrete and the notoriety, it's a community.  There are so many intangibles that make living here unique, and positive. 

Rebecca & Patricio

Can you tell me about yourself?

Rebecca was born and bred in Yorkshire and Patricio is from Buenos Aires. We both moved to London seven years ago and met here through friends (in a Patisserie Valerie)

What is your Occupation?

Patricio is a Finance Director at the Economist and Rebecca is about to start a new role as Head of Cancer Intelligence at Cancer Research UK. 

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

Patricio once described it as "the most un-London place in London"... we have always been drawn to it then one day we realised people lived here... then we realised that we could live here. It's a dream come true.

How long have you lived on the estate?

Just over two years.

Your favourite feature of Barbican flats?

The kitchen: the hatch to the living room, the sliding glass cupboard doors, the four hobs in a row (that inspired a 1970s food blog of the same name) - it looks both modern and retro at the same time. The full length windows and the light that floods the flat are also up there.

How have you found it living in the barbican estate?

It's a peaceful sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the city - sometimes at the weekend, it's so quiet, we think we must be the only people left on the estate. We have our privacy but we've also met some lovely people. And we enjoy all the Arts Centre entertainment on our doorstep.

James Webb

Can you tell me about yourself?

I was born in the UK but moved to Australia as a teenager with his family. I met my wife in Amsterdam 12 years ago and we moved to London at the end of 2011.

What is your occupation?

I am an Architect.

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

I used to visit London every year to see the Serpentine pavilion, I said that if i ever moved to London it would be to the Barbican. Years later when I  decided to leave Amsterdam for London I followed that up.

How long have you lived on the estate?

We had a Studio flat in Bryer Court for 3.5 years and moved to a classic type 20 apartment in Speed House one year ago.

What is your favourite feature of the Barbican flats?

We love so many things about it: 

Apartment: The full height glazing, balcony - perfect for summer evening dinners (weather dependant), generous sized apartments, high quality design throughout, the timber work, kitchen design, sound insulation. 

Barbican Estate: Sheer scale of the project, the communal gardens, the Arts Centre, the fact that you are in Central London and it is so peaceful. 

How have you found it living in the barbican estate?

We could not imagine living anywhere else in London. It is an amazing environment, a constant joy, and not to get too heavy it is a reminder of when planners and architects had vision and the power to implement them. 

Diana & Genki

Can you tell me about yourself?

Diana is from Kyiv, Ukraine, moved to the UK 3 years ago to do an MA at the National Film and Television School. 

Genki - born and raised in North London. His mother is Japanese, from Miyazaki in Kyushu, his dad is from Leeds.

What is your occupation?

Diana: Cinematographer.

Genki: Filmmaker/lighting gaffer. Started working in the film industry 10 years ago after graduating film school. Specialises in commercial and feature lighting.

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

Diana: Every time I visited the area I kept wandering around, endlessly inspired and moved.

It was like a dream to live here - and, as we know, dreams come true. :)

How long have you lived on the estate?

1 month

What is your favourite feature of Barbican flats?

Genki: The light! The glorious amounts of natural daylight flooding the apartment!

Diana: The balcony and massive windows floor to ceiling. Space. A lot of it. It's big bright bedroom.

Curious kitchen with the sci-fi lighting. Long bathroom with old school check tile…

We love every single part of it!

How have you found it living in the barbican estate?

It seems very friendly and inclusive, people always say hello and have a chat when you get into a lift, there's a very nice sense of community, and having access to the centre and everything it offers is incredible. The complex itself is so fascinating to walk around and explore the architecture. 

Diana: I never really felt like going home after a long day. After I moved to this place I can’t wait to come back home and feel it again - great vibe, location and atmosphere. The art of life.

Susie

Can you tell me about yourself?

I was born in Stirling, Scotland and spent a majority of my time growing up in Glasgow. I moved to London for study and have been here ever since. 

What is your Occupation?

I work in Design and advertising. 

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

I regularly visited friends who lived here and was taken by its open spaces and central location. 

How long have you lived on the estate?

9 years. 

What is your favourite feature of Barbican flats?

I love the simple layout which has a kind of nautical feel that gives you a blank canvas to create your own personal touch. The floor to ceiling Windows and the balcony gives that added feeling of light and space. 

How have you found it living in the barbican estate?

I particularly love the brutalist architecture... the materials are solid, the details – lamps, handrails, gates and doors, in contrast to the open spaces, lakes and botanic gardens. I enjoy the quietness the weekend brings as well as having the option of the Barbican Centre, restaurants and bars within the complex. It's own mini community within the City of London. 

Sophy Twohig

Sophy is originally from Bath in the west country, but moved to London to study architecture at the Bartlett School, UCL when she was 18. She is a Partner at Hopkins Architects, most famous for Glyndebourne Opera House, Westminster Underground station and the Olympic 2012 Velodrome. Sophy is currently working on a new Campus Center for Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

I first visited the Barbican when I was 12 years old on a school field trip, It fascinated me, I’d never seen anything like it coming from ‘classical’ Bath I’ve wanted to live here as long as I can remember. As an architect I really wanted to live in a modern architect designed building. The Barbican is a complete one off, a moment in time and it was a lifetimes work for a group of gifted and single minded architects. There will never be another like it and I doubt that anyone will build anything like it again. Its beautiful, bold and incredibly detailed. Every week I find something new in it, and its like a hill town that you discover for yourself and are constantly exploring.

How long have you lived on the estate?

2 years , I hope forever.

What is your favourite feature of the barbican flats?

The light, the full height windows, the flat layouts are so clever they create a real sense of quality space and movement, even though the floor area is actually fairly modest, Oh and the detailing makes you want to weep , solid timber sliding doors with mechanisms that still work as well as the day they were installed 40 years ago, the staircases and handrails. My only sadness is that I don’t have an original kitchen.

How have you found it living in the barbican estate?

Every day I wake up and can’t believe how fortunate I am.

Alex & Hayley

Can you tell me about yourself?

We were both brought up in the Cheshire mill town of Macclesfield and lived there up until October 2015 when the opportunity to relocate to London allowed us to move to the city. Best decision we have made!

What is your occupation?

 Alex - I am the Creative Director for a design agency that specialises in creating brands and marketing material for large scale property developments.

Hayley - I split my time working in a cold-pressed juice company and nannying for twins.

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

Alex - Having visited the Barbican numerous times in the past and through the fact that my brother owned a flat, I grew to love the brutalist architecture and the calmness amongst the bustle of the city that it gave it’s visitors. I always wondered what it would be like to live here.

Hayley - As I take great interest in art exhibitions, plant life and architecture, the Barbican to me felt like the best place to live. They even have their own cactus room in the Conservatory!

How long have you lived on the estate?

We relocated to the Barbican in October 2015

What is your favourite feature of the barbican flats?

Alex - The architecture, the ergonomics of its design and the access to superb cultural facilities.

Hayley - I personally love the way the place is connected with an undercover walkway, and the private gardens are just beautiful.

How have you found it living here?

Alex - Like a dream come true, it’s hard to explain to people who haven’t had the pleasure of living here just how wonderful it is. From it’s central situation through to it’s superbly considered design and private green spaces it offers convenience, culture and an unparalleled lifestyle for central London.

Hayley - I warmed to it straight away and its crazy to think we are in the city. The silence is calming and the hard architectural design creates a fortress-like feeling of security.

Kate

Kate is a resident of Brandon mews, a lovely set of mews flats located at the far end of the Barbican estate with views of the lake.

Can you tell me a little about yourself?

I moved to London in the 1950s, initially just for a year but I've been here ever since. I am a retired Chartered Librarian although that is rather misleading as I spent most of my career working for our Chartered professional body in charge of education and professional registration.

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

My late partner and I were looking for somewhere central to set up home, each leaving behind a previous marriage. We wanted somewhere central and affordable. A friend of mine lived in the Barbican, in the house next to where I now live, and she introduced us to the estate which met our requirements.

What is your favourite feature of the barbican flats?

Their simplicity of internal design which makes them able to provide a suitable setting for any style, from antique to post-modern.

Eric

Can you tell me about yourself?

I am a Frenchman and a Londoner for 18 years.

What is your occupation?

Architect and land artist.

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

It is one of the few places in London where you can live in a well looked after modern environment centrally. The flats are very well planned and have generous outside spaces. 

The presence of the various cultural institutions such as the cinema and gallery was also attractive.

We love the Brutalist aesthetic that gives the Barbican the feel of inhabited cliffs overlooking gardens; the buildings look like rocks carved by an ancient civilisation. The stunning detailing throughout means that the architecture is as beautiful when you are close to it and it ages well. 

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

It is one of the few places in London where you can live in a well looked after modern environment centrally. The flats are very well planned and have generous outside spaces. 

The presence of the various cultural institutions such as the cinema and gallery was also attractive.

We love the Brutalist aesthetic that gives the Barbican the feel of inhabited cliffs overlooking gardens; the buildings look like rocks carved by an ancient civilisation. The stunning detailing throughout means that the architecture is as beautiful when you are close to it and it ages well. 

How long have you lived on the estate?

Almost 2 years

What is your favourite feature of the barbican flats?

The large windows giving the sunlight and views of the city. It always relaxes me when I come back from work.

How have you found it living here?

Comfortable, calm, the estate and the residents are well cared for. It is an easy life. We can’t imagine leaving.

Nigel

Can you tell me about yourself?

A native of Bury, Lancashire, I moved to London in 1997, and took up residence in the Barbican in 2006.

What is your occupation?

Having worked as a solicitor in a City law firm, I gave it all up to become an actor, and now earn a living on the voiceover circuit.

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

The law firm where I used to work was on Aldersgate St, so I used to gaze at the Barbican Estate every day, never entertaining the thought that I might well live there one day. I was particularly attracted to how safe it is.

How long have you lived on the estate?

8 Years.

How have you found it living here?

A concrete oasis amidst the yin-yang complexion of living in the City; bustling with City workers during the week, then a relative ghost town at weekends - the best of both worlds!

Wendy

Can you tell me about yourself?

I moved to London 40 years ago, and lived and worked in many different parts of the city. But I came to stay in the Barbican because it was the place where I felt at home, instantly, and now I can't imagine living anywhere else.

What is your occupation?

I currently work part time in Bookmarks Bookshop in Bloomsbury and I also work as a Barbican Host in the Centre at least two or three days every week.

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

I came to the Barbican because it is quite unlike anything else in London. When I worked in the city area it was constantly in my view, all curves and spikes and seemed both intimidating and exciting. It is very enigmatic, and so I decided to find out more about it.

How long have you lived on the estate?

I've lived here for 11 years.

What is your favourite feature of the barbican flats?

The attention to detail in the flats is unique - the quality inside the flats reminds me of being inside a luxury car.

How have you found it living here?

I've heard many people describe the Barbican as cold, impersonal and dystopian; but that's not the way I've found it - in fact its quite the opposite: comfortable, welcoming and stylish in a non-threatening, low key way. At times it can be amazingly beautiful and entirely life enhancing.

Phillip & Silvia

Can you tell me about yourself?

Phillip - I was born in Toronto and grew up around the world as an ex-pat in my early life, include the the US and Brazil, before settling back in the UK, where I lived in Yorkshire, Shropshire, Dorset and Hampshire. I then spent some time working in Cape Town before attending university in Exeter and moving to London for work, taking a job as a trainee reporter.

Silvia - I was born in Rome and grew up between the south, Cretona in Calabria, and the capital with my family. After completing my studies in Rome I spent time living and working in Lisbon, the south of France and New York before moving to London to pursue my career as a journalist.

Lorenzo - I was born in UCLH hospital and I'm a Barbican baby! 

What is your occupation?

Phillip - I work for a commodities trading company, looking after market risk management, analysis and derivatives trading for its operations around the world. Quite a difference from my early career as a journalist and editor, but I love the pace of my work, the incessant challenge and the huge associated privilege of frequent and extensive travel. Plus the commute is fantastic - I can walk from the Barbican to work.

Silvia - I work for ThomsonReuters, the international news agency, as their lead mining equities correspondent covering companies and markets around the world. I also work shifts for Reuters TV, which is a real passion: as I build my production skills I hope to bring a new multi-media approach to the subjects I cover as well as work on more personal projects in my spare time.

Lorenzo - At this stage largely bodily functions. But I have big plans.

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

Phillip fell in love with the Barbican when he first moved to London, and loved exploring the podium and the Barbican Centre in between assignments when he was a lowly cub reporter.

We both circled the Barbican for many years, drawn not just to the center but also to the surrounding areas like Clerkenwell and Shoreditch, and when we could finally afford to move in we jumped at the chance. Sometimes it's hard to believe we're so lucky.

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

Phillip fell in love with the Barbican when he first moved to London, and loved exploring the podium and the Barbican Centre in between assignments when he was a lowly cub reporter.

We both circled the Barbican for many years, drawn not just to the center but also to the surrounding areas like Clerkenwell and Shoreditch, and when we could finally afford to move in we jumped at the chance. Sometimes it's hard to believe we're so lucky.

How long have you lived on the estate?

We've lived on the estate for two years and it's been amazing. We felt so happy here we decided to start a family and hopefully we will never have to leave!

What is your favourite feature of the barbican flats?

It's a stupid answer, but everything. The flats are just so well designed, it's incredible to think that the Barbican was executed so well when we've lived in so many other sub-standard more modern apartments. Phillip loves the Brooke Marine kitchen and the massive windows. Silvia loves the underfloor heating in winter and our original Barbican bathroom, with its white tiling and beautifully fittings.

How have you found it living here?

Fantastic. Our home is an amazing space and we are so grateful to our generous landlords, who are very accommodating. But it's not just about the flats: we love wandering in the communal gardens, which look gorgeous all year around, popping over to the Barbican Centre to see what's going on and using the Podium to dodge the traffic and enter the rest of the city without too much stress, when we absolutely have to!

Aisha & Ezo

Can you tell me about yourself?

Aisha: I was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and lived there until my mid twenties.  It was a childhood ambition to live in London and I’m happy call it home for the past 10 years.

Ezo: Born in Derby during a brief stay. Back to London till I was 3. Off to the UAE. Then a stint in Eastern Europe. Edinburgh for Uni plus work. And, finally back to London for the past 10 years.

Ada: Ada is from London and has lived in the Barbican since she was born!

What is your occupation?

Aisha: I’m a designer and entrepreneur.  I initially moved to London to pursue a masters at Central St Martins and on completing that I have founded a couple of companies, worked as a freelancer and am in the early stages of launching a new company.  

Ezo: I write a lot of code for a living. I’ve bankrupted 2 of my own (awesome) startups. Now, I consult on mobile development while figuring out my next venture.

Ada: I have patrons who support my creative and experimental endeavours of playing, drawing, building and dancing!

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

We purged and packed our belongings to travel for a couple of years and on our return we decided to flat hunt in central London.  Although we weren’t specifically looking to live in the Barbican we fell in love with this flat at first sight.

It was in the right location and fulfilled our most important criteria; big windows and lots of daylight.  We knew the area fairly well having worked nearby in the past and from frequenting the Barbican Arts Centre.

How long have you lived on the estate?

We have been in the same flat in the Barbican for 5 years.  It’s the longest we’ve lived anywhere!

What is your favourite feature of the barbican flats?

The large windows make the top of the list of our favourite feature. They flood the flat with natural daylight, offer great views and slide open so wide that it feels as if we brought a bit of the outside into our home.

How have you found it living here?

We love it and it’s the most we’ve ever felt at ‘home’ anywhere.  We’ve been very lucky to have a wonderful landlady who we have a good relationship with.  However, the thing that is really unique about living in the Barbican Estate is the experience beyond it’s impressive architecture.

We have friendly neighbours, a beautiful garden for Ada to run around in with other young residents, a shop that stocks delicious local produce and a super library in the Barbican Centre.  It is an ideal place to raise a child and that is something that we only appreciated after living here.  The location is really convenient and we get around using our favourite method of transport - our feet!.

Olivia & Adrian

Can you tell me about yourself?

I grew up in Ickenham, just outside London, then lived in Edinburgh, Kiribati, LA and New York.

My husband, Adrian, is from Guernsey and moved to London after finishing law school.

What is your occupation?

I work in media product strategy in Soho, and at the moment i'm creating an on demand TV service called Freeview Play.

My husband Adrian is in finance, and loves being able to walk into work in Canon Street every day.

What drew you to move here?

I remember coming up from suburbia to concerts here as a child, getting lost on the podium and thinking it was pretty stark; but then my co-worker at the BBC told me to look at some flats here when I wanted to move out of Borough where I used to live,  I realised how comfortable and fun it is to live here.

How long have you lived in the Barbican?

We both moved into the Barbican in 2009, but I was in Ben Jonson House and Adrian was renovating this flat in Lauderdale Tower (which is where we both now live). We met at a Barbican residents meeting, and now have two ‘Barbican-bred’ children who go to nursery on the estate.

What is your favourite feature of the barbican flats?

I love so many things about the flats; the ambitious features like the hand-textured concrete, the calm podium walkways, and communal underfloor heating, and  countless smaller details, like the deliberate small shadow gap where the internal walls meet the ceilings.

The only thing I haven’t fallen for, which many residents like, is the garchey.

How have you found it living here?

One of the things that makes the Barbican so great are the other people living here.

We have warm and considerate neighbours, charming porters, and lots of friends met through parents’ groups on the estate.

Mark & David

Can you tell me about yourself?

I was brought up in Oxfordshire, but my father came from Dalston. My father  was born in 1914 and loved the Barbican as a piece of Architecture and a vision of a better London, sadly he had died before we bought this flat.

What is your occupation?

I am a architect and a chartered member of the Royal Institute of British Architects with over 20 years’ experience practicing in my field.

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

We had never really thought about actually living here, although we had a friend who lived in Lauderdale Tower in the 90s. Whilst cycling past an estate agent one day I saw the plan of this flat and called David. It was such a great floor plan and was the same price as the flat we were selling in Arsenal (year was 2001),  We decided to buy it and moved in a few months later.

How long have you lived on the estate?

14 years.

What is your favourite feature of the barbican flats?

We love the layout and the detailing because its classic Modernist, we had to do hardly anything to it when we moved in.

The resident gardens are fantastic too and the Barbican Centre of course. 

How have you found it living here?

Although it can be  nicely anonymous, it’s fascinating watching people you see all the time getting older or children growing up. 

It feels  so physically separate from the surroundings, it's very self contained, like a village or a campus with old people!

Olivier

Can you tell me about yourself?

I was born in France and grew up in the French Alps before moving to London in the early 1990's. I have now lived in London for more than half my life.

What is your occupation?

I am a language tutor. I teach French to adults with either a professional or personal interest in French language and culture.

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

First the architecture, as we (my partner and I ) knew the Barbican as visitors. Then, as soon as we walked in to what was to be our home, the space, light and design captured us.

How long have you lived on the estate?

Just over 13 years now and still adore the flat and the estate as a whole.

 What is your favourite feature of the barbican flats?

In our triplex,  it has to be the amazing staircase! But close second is the barrel vaulted ceiling in the top floor room.

How have you found it living here?

It has been joyous! I walk or cycle everywhere. The amazing world class art centre on our doorstep is a big bonus. Neighbours, with one or two exceptions, have always been wonderful. I cannot imagine living anywhere else in London anymore. Once you move to, and experience the Barbican... You never leave!

James & Lucy

Can you tell me about yourself?

James is originally from Cornwall, but has moved between Portishead, the Australian Gold Coast, Amsterdam and Qatar before settling in the Barbican.

Lucy is from Swanley in Kent and has never lived outside of London.

What is your occupation?

James is a business development manager at a digital agency. 

Lucy started work as a database developer, but decided to change career direction, so studied for an MSc at UCL and now works as a user experience designer at Expedia. She is a partner at The Great Divide mens online clothing shop, which she looks after in her spare time.  

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

Lucy has a friend who moved into her mum’s flat on the Golden Lane Estate, which she visited and got extreme flat envy.

James was brought up in a quiet suburb of Bristol and wanted to get as far away from that as possible. The Barbican, with its concrete towers was always somewhere he’d dreamed of living, but never thought possible until he met Lucy. 

How long have you lived on the estate?

Lucy moved to Ben Jonson House in 2012, then to Thomas More House in 2013. We moved in together in 2014 in our current flat in Andrewes House. We would love to buy a flat, but can’t save up a deposit while we are paying Barbican rents. 

What is your favourite feature of the barbican flats?

The huge windows. Our flat in Andrewes has my favourite of all Barbican windows, the ground floor lounge is double height, faces the lake and has an inverted arch window. Watching ducks out the window is a pure joy. Everyone who sees it agrees it’s a stunner. The bulky rubbish disposal corners are also pretty special too. You can get rid of your junk, but also find some treasures. We have rescued a set of school hall chairs, a solid oak tall boy, Roberts radio and a huge PA system.

How have you found it living here?

We make the most of it by wandering around the waterfall and residents’ gardens, and try to visit the arts centre as much as possible. It can get noisy and dusty from all the outside building work, but it’s such a contrast on Sundays when it is still and peaceful. Everyone who lives and visits here cares for it.

It feels very cherished. 

Tom & Kristina

Can you tell me about yourself?

Tom is originally from Winchester, England and Kristina was born in Florida but grew up in Michigan, US. We met 10 years ago whilst studying design at Central Saint Martins.

What is your occupation?

Tom is a partner of a design and branding agency called EACH London. Kristina is a full time mum to Iris, but also has an online homeware store called The Modernist Shelf. 

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

We owned and renovated a little 60's flat in Hackney previously, but fancied trying somewhere really central and with a bit more room. The Barbican was always somewhere we loved spending time, and so we very fortunately found this place.

How long have you lived on the estate?

Coming up to 2 years, and hopefully longer! A neighbour once said to us, once you live here it's hard to move anywhere else in London. We can see why now.

What is your favourite feature of the barbican flats?

The Floor to ceiling windows. The perfectly proportioned rooms. The mailbox/rubbish cupboard. The under-floor heating. The Barbican sink (with built in toilet roll holder!). The thick, thick concrete walls. The ingenious handle/lock on the exterior doors. The list could go on.

How have you found it living here?

Really enriching. It's interesting to find so central in London, a truly successful example of such a 'planned' residential area. The proof is in the sheer mix of folks that happily inhabit the area. The generous yet economical use of space and the care and attention to every detail, all add up to making the lives of residents so much richer. Hopefully this spirit can be retained – or at least continue to influence future developments, as we inevitability move further and further out of the heart of the city.