My Art: Barbican Centre

In the summer, whenever I have time off from lectures, I like to make a pilgrimage. Taking the District Line down from South Kensington, I get off at Mansion House; twisting through the streets of the Golden Mile, dodging city slickers and corporate lawyers, a cluster of buildings soon come into view - the labyrinthine, awe-inspiring Barbican Centre.

Designed by Chamberlin, Powell & Bon, and built between 1965 - 1976, the Barbican is cut from a different cloth than the buildings surrounding it; while they are made of shimmering glass, temples to high-tech finance, the Barbican is formed from raw concrete, relentlessly carving out its own space within the city.

The term Barbican comes from the old French word Barbacane, meaning the outer defence of a walled city or castle. While the name was chosen millennia before the complex was built, it is serendipitous how well the name matches up to the buildings. With miles of walkways, which tunnel through buildings, it is worryingly easy to get lost; cement arches loom over you, while concrete balustrades form outposts from the main structures. In essence, the Barbican reclaims the original ethos of the area - it is a brutalist dragon, jealously guarding the treasure at its centre: the glittering gem of London’s cultural crown, the Barbican Centre itself.

With a concert hall, two theatres, a music school, three restaurants, two art gallery, and a greenhouse, the Barbican Centre is the closest the artistically-inclined have to a Mecca. It is a cathedral of culture, like a wondrous mirage in the middle of a corporate desert. From film to theatre, music to dance, everything you could ask for can be found here, eclipsing any other venues in London.

However, even if you’re not that much of a culture vulture - and to be honest, it can be difficult to find the time - you can still enjoy the Barbican. As you peel away the layers of cement, penetrating the outer walls of this fortress, you come across a lush, verdant centre. Vines trail down from balcony apartments; fountains spring up, the dappling water creating a melodic soundtrack to a lazy day; and little niches form areas where you can easily wile away an entire afternoon.

On hot summer days, when Hyde Park is full to bursting, and The Hampstead Ponds are at full capacity, you can always rely on the Barbican Centre to provide a calm clearing within the city’s concrete jungle. Take your friends, take a picnic, take a bottle of good wine, and see how easy it is to spend an entire day soaking up the sun’s rays at this magnificently brutal tribute to modern culture.

_The Barbican Centre is open Mon - Sat, 9am-11pm; Sun, 10am-11pm. Their programme includes Theatre, Cinema, Dance, Music, and Arts, as well as special events and talks. _

Current highlights include the City Visions programme of films and art exhibits. Next year will see a Samual Beckett season, celebrating the work of the Irish playwrite.

For a full programme of events, please visit www.barbican.org.uk