The Barbican Centre is officially on track for its most consequential overhaul since it opened in 1982. On December 11, the City of London Corporation approved a £191 million () delivery plan to upgrade the Grade II–listed arts complex, an investment that will carry the “concrete ziggurat” into its next 50 years. The package represents roughly 80 percent of the total funding required for the first phase, with the remainder to be raised by the Barbican through an ongoing campaign.
The green light follows a public consultation in which more than 90 percent of respondents backed the proposal, signaling broad support for a project that aims to balance preservation with access, sustainability, and long-term resilience. “We’re not just preserving the centerpiece of the U.K.’s largest listed site but unlocking the full potential of a cultural icon,” said Sir William Russell, chair of the Barbican Board.
Allies and Morrison and Asif Khan Studio, leading the design team with Buro Happold and Harris Bugg Studio, have crafted a retrofit-first approach intended to dramatically reduce carbon impacts while protecting the Barbican’s original fabric. That includes upgraded mechanical systems, improved glazing and doors, new LED lighting, rainwater harvesting, and the reuse of materials such as Conservatory glass and terrace pavers, which will be transformed into new terrazzo finishes.
The move aligns with earlier plans unveiled by the Barbican in February, which previewed upgrades to three of the Centre’s signature spaces: the Foyers, the Lakeside Terrace, and the Conservatory. New lighting, decluttering, and accessibility improvements will unify the sprawling multi-level Foyer spaces; the Lakeside will be repaved and enhanced with energy-efficient glazing, improved planting, and passive cooling measures for its water features; and the Conservatory, already the second-largest in London, will be fully accessible for the first time, operating as a daily free public garden.
Accessibility forms a major pillar of the renewal plan. Beyond regraded ramps, wider automatic doors, and Conservatory access, the Barbican will add a new multi-faith room, expanded toilet provision, quiet rooms, and step-free circulation throughout the Curve gallery.
“The Barbican rose from the ruins of a bombsite nearly 50 years ago,” said Philippa Simpson, director of buildings and renewal, “and in summer 2029 we will embrace that same spirit of optimism—renewed, revitalised, and ready for the future.”
Some preliminary works are already underway. The Barbican Theatre will undergo a three-month round of essential upgrades beginning in January 2026. Pending planning approval, major construction will begin in 2027, with the first phase scheduled to complete in 2030, just ahead of the Centre’s 50th anniversary.
Opened by Queen Elizabeth II, who called it “one of the wonders of the modern world,” the Barbican now welcomes millions each year. The renewal plan positions the institution to expand its role as a civic and cultural anchor while preserving the bold architecture that defines it.
As Simpson noted, the project is an opportunity to carry the founders’ vision forward: “to reimagine what an arts centre can be in the 21st century, a vital, creative space for everyone.”
→ Continue reading at The Architect's Newspaper
