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!