The London Walker

I love this strange Brutalist estate, it took a while for that love to emerge; at first, I simply ended up getting lost in it too many times, and through a slow process of finding my way out, I grew to know it better, and it in turn grew on me. Now I think it’s one of my favourite little spots in London, its unusual and strange and I appreciate some people simply can’t stand it. But if you weave and stroll through its colonnades and skip up and down its stairs, you’ll find odd vistas of the city beyond, little nooks where trees and greenery are, a great little cafe, or some bizarre utopian interior with faded old leather sofas. Its just wonderful in my book and I encourage those who feel less inclined, to have a saunter, get lost, try and find your way out, and over time you may find yourself liking the place too.

Built around the 1950s on land devastated by the Blitz, the Barbican is one of the most ambitious expressions of Brutalism in the city. It is a self-contained concrete city: there are towers, walkways, theatres, schools, a lovely old church, ponds, a bit of roman wall. Whats not to like.