Buro Happold Appointed for Phase One of Barbican Renewal Programme

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• Buro Happold Appointed for Phase One of Barbican Renewal Programme

18 December 2024

Buro Happold, alongside Allies and Morrison and Asif Khan Studios, will provide multidisciplinary services for the Barbican Centre’s upgrade.

Over the next five years, phase one of the project will focus on refurbishing the free public spaces of the lakeside,  the foyers, the catering building and the conservatory.  It also includes the Salisbury Square Development, which will house the new City of London Police HQ and multi-courts complex, and the new London Museum at West Smithfield.

Buro Happold will design replacements for the centre’s building services infrastructure, with a long-term strategy to transform it into a more energy-efficient and low-carbon solution.

Construction is set to begin in 2027, with phase one intended to be ready for the Barbican’s 50th anniversary in 2032.

The Barbican opened in 1982 and was listed as Grade II in 2001. It is world-renowned as an example of brutalist architecture.

Buro Happold Partner and Project Principle, Emily McDonald, said: “We are thrilled to be part of the incredible project team for the Barbican Renewal project. Buro Happold’s extensive multi-disciplinary team is joyfully celebrating this news and grateful for the collective effort that has brought us to this point. We eagerly anticipate developing the designs and bringing them to life over the next five years, supporting the Barbican in its next exciting chapter.”

City Corporation Policy Chairman, Chris Hayward, added: “This funding underlines our support for the Barbican Centre, recognising its unique role as a leading cultural institution and driver of economic growth, contributing £86 million a year to the UK economy and supporting about 1,100 jobs across London. The Barbican Centre is central to the Square Mile’s cultural identity and plays a pivotal role in our attractiveness as a place to work and visit.”

Picture: a photograph showing the exterior of the Barbican Centre. Image Credit: Barbican, Dion Barrett

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 18 December 2024

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