Peter

Can you tell me about yourself?

I was born in Johannesburg to an Italian mother and Scottish father, so from an early age I was curious of other worlds and had a natural wanderlust. I left South Africa in my twenties, and subsequently lived in Saskatchewan, Paris, London, Hong Kong, and Sydney. Recently I decided to divide my time between Sydney and London. I feel very lucky to be able to spend time in two of my favourite cities.

How long have you lived on the Estate?

About five years, although two of those were in Australia during COVID, so I’m still a relative newbie.

What is your occupation?

I trained as a doctor and after several years of clinical practice moved into the medical side of the pharmaceutical industry. A few years ago I gave up corporate life to try my hand as a novelist. I’ve just finished a thriller - set in the Barbican.

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

I stumbled across a Barbican flat on the internet by chance. I had lived in West London in my thirties, but when I decided to return to London a few years ago, I wanted to experience a very different neighbourhood. I remember coming to the Barbican Arts Centre, and the place made such a strong impression on me that I decided to try living here. I’m delighted that I did.

Your favourite feature of Barbican flats?

The enormous teak-frames windows. They let in lots of natural light, and can open in all sorts of configurations to regulate airflow.

How have you found it living in the barbican estate?

It’s wonderful to live in such an iconic and special place. Something about it just grows on you. There is a magic that is hard to define, but I think it has a lot to do with the unapologetic vision underpinning the estate; namely that well-conceived buildings can really enhance the lives of those who live and work in and around them. It’s so well thought through on so many levels. The location is really convenient, and it’s surprisingly peaceful. The residents’ gardens are a big bonus. It’s one of the best places in London to live, I think. 

Are there any downsides to the Barbican?

The flats are compact and storage is limited, so one is obliged to de-clutter. Marie Kondo would be proud.

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.

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.

Richard & Nicola

Can you tell me about yourself?

I am 44 years old. Married to Nicola, with two children Isabella (6) and Hector (3).

I was born in a village called Lambourn in Berkshire. I lived in Texas, US, for a number of years from the age of 9. I have family (Aunt and cousins) in Baltimore, America. My mother and father are still alive and, like us, have fallen in love with the barbican - although, the concrete exterior was initially a challenge for them. I have an older brother who lives near to where we were born, so I am the one who properly left the nest as it were.     

What is your occupation?

I am a lawyer. I do a lot of work for the Labour Party, such as to do with elections. I also do a lot of media work, for example in relation to the telephone interception litigation against News Group and the Mirror Group.   

What drew you to move to the Barbican?

I used to play tennis with a friend at the Golden Lane Estate courts - living at the time in a pretty Islington Georgian terrace house. I am a fan of the Twentieth Century, including its bold architecture hence I was always going to appreciate the building. The other thing that drew me to the Barbican was its location, being in the centre of London - I am a city person and have a somewhat irrational fear of the suburbs!

How long have you lived on the estate?

We have lived in the Barbican for about 12 years, initially in an 'L' shaped Defoe House flat looking into the gardens. When we had our second child we started to look around the Barbican for a larger flat. We found this one which we substantially renovated and re-decorated. We never seriously considered moving out of the Barbican - you get a bit institutionalised.

What is your favourite feature of the barbican flats?

The thing that I have most loved about the flats is our old corridor in the Defoe House flat - it ran from the lounge to the bedroom and was wide enough to house a small office. It had a fantastic sweep which linked both ends of the flat so that you could stand in the middle of it and see the tip of St Paul's Cathedral to the South and a vie of the estate to the North that looked like a cubist painting.

How have you found it living here?

Its been a life enhancing and privileged experience. We love walking through the Barbican on the weekend, hoping to catch some free jazz in the foyer or taking part in the various activities for families, such as a Shakespeare weekend or a science weekend (where my daughter dissected a jelly mould in the shape of a brain to the instruction of a UCLH brain surgeon). There is a thriving community of people living here and you usually see someone you know when you are out and about the estate and its surroundings. It feels like a village.