Shortlist for Barbican Renewal Revealed

John Hill

12. January 2022

Photo: Max Colson

The City of London Corporation has announced the shortlist of "five world-class, international design teams" competing for a major renewal of the Barbican Centre, an icon of brutalist architecture.

The Barbican Renewal Project was announced in February 2021 with the aim of preserving and respecting the complex's "original architectural vision," as designed by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon between 1962 and 1982, "while adapting it to respond to the creative opportunities and challenges of today." Renewal tasks include "upgrading venues, bringing underused spaces back to life, and improving the welcome, wayfinding and digital technology at the site, reflecting the energy of London’s many communities and the Barbican Centre’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion." Major improvements to the Grade II-listed building's environmental performance, in line with the City Corporation's commitment to achieving net-zero carbon status by 2027, are also part of the project.

The five shortlisted teams "drawn from an impressive pool of high calibre submissions from talented UK and international design led teams" vying for the £50m to £150m project:

Adjaye Associates, Benedetti Architects and PUP Architects (with Charcoalblue, David Bonnett, DP9, Nigel Dunnett, OneDotZero, Peter Stewart, The Place Bureau, Transsolar, WSP)
Allies and Morrison and Asif Khan Studio (with Alan Baxter Ltd, Buro Happold, Charcoalblue, Hood Design Studio, Isaac Julien Studio, les éclaireurs)
BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, Avanti Architects, and POoR Collective (with Applied, Atelier Ten, Barker Langham, Buro Happold, Charcoalblue, People Friendly Design, Speirs + Major)
Diller Scofido + Renfro, McCloy + Muchemwa, and Purcell (with Buro Happold, Charcoalblue, David Bonnett, GROSS. MAX., L’Observatoire, Nagata Acoustics, Nigel Dunnett, North Design, Patrick Burnham OBE, The Young Foundation)
FCBStudios (Feilden Clegg Bradley), Bureau de Change, Schulze+Grassov, and Thinc (with AKT II, James Hitchmough, JWE, Max Fordham, Momentum, Nigel Dunnett, Ramboll)

The five teams, each receiving an honorarium of £20,000, will propose design options for the project, with the final selection expected to be made in April 2022.