The Barbican is revered by historians and architecture enthusiasts alike for its distinct Brutalist character and historical significance. Yet some 34 year after the estate's completion, it is no surprise that many of the Grade II listed concrete London landmark's original interiors are in need of a refresh.
London architect Laurence Quinn of Quinn Architects is part of the Barbican's creative community and has lived, with his family, in one of the towers since 2009. In 2015, he embarked on a series of renovation works to breathe new life to the interior, while maintaining the Chamberlin, Powell and Bon space's original spirit.
'We were interested in researching the original concept for the interior spaces, to allow us the opportunity to consider these in a modern context and develop the concepts further,' he explains. 'We simply maintained which parts of the interior remained relevant, and retire elements that had outgrown their usefulness. Our new scheme of components will sit happily with the originals and vice versa.'
The renovation was a hands-on experience, with Quinn personally involved in redesigning key elements such as cabinetry, skirting boards and bathrooms. The materials used were carefully selected to match the originals' feel and tone; they include oak, grey terrazzo, white lacquered MDF, wool and cashmere carpet, and Grey Italian Limestone.
The new, full height doors with solid oak floor frames echo the original design, but were brought into the 21st century; now, they do not require to be constantly painted. At the same time, the brand new kitchen was one of the project's largest interventions, with the cupboards and drawers completely replaced.
This was not the first time Quinn was involved in a Barbican redesign - his earlier renovation work there includes a penthouse in the Cromwell Tower - and it won't be the last either; his re-imagining of a Type 1C project in Shakespeare Tower is currently underway. There, the architect is taking a slightly different approach, maintaining far more original details, he explains, and merging them with 'a select group of our new ideas'.
Quinn has been living in the apartment since 2009 but decided the interior needed some refreshing in 2015
His approach combined maintaining the spirit of the original interior, while bringing the detailing to the 21st century
Materials and colours were carefully chosen to feel at home in their context, matching in style the originals. The floor is lined in oak wood.
Completely reworking the kitchen cabinetry was one of the project's biggest interventions
The white cupboards were replaced with new ones in sleek white lacquered MDF
The subtle renovation was a hands-on experience for Quinn, who took special care in redesigning key elements and detailing, such as skirting boards
The apartment's bathrooms were also reworked using white tiling and grey Italian limestone
New, discreetly contemporary wardrobes in the apartment's two main bedrooms help the interiors feel sleek and streamlined
The new, full height internal doors with solid oak frames echo the original design, but now they do not require to be constantly painted
INFORMATION
For more information on Laurence Quinn visit the website
Photography: Rob Parrish
-
The artistry of Japanese wineFine wine from Japan may not yet register highly on the radars of most oenophiles, but for those who know, it's a hugely rewarding and rich tapestry of flavour. Drinks expert, Neil Ridley visits London's Luna Omakase for the launch of a new dedicated Japanese wine pairing menu
-
In Los Angeles, Darling doesn’t want to be your average dinner spotVinyl, live-fire cooking, and California’s finest ingredients come together in this immersive new concept from a celebrated Southern chef
-
'There is no way light and darkness are not in exchange with each other': step inside Christelle Oyiri’s sonic world in BerlinIn an explosion of light and sound, Christelle Oyiri explores celebrity, mythology and religion inside CANK, a former brutalist shopping centre in Berlin’s Neukölln
-
The new 2025 London Open House Festival tours to book2025 London Open House launches this weekend, running 13-21 September; here, we celebrate the newcomers in the residential realm, flagging the exciting additions to the festival's growing home tour programme
-
A Tokyo home’s mysterious, brutalist façade hides a secret urban retreatDesigned by Apollo Architects, Tokyo home Stealth House evokes the feeling of a secluded resort, packaged up neatly into a private residence
-
A brutalist mosque explores light and spirituality in tropical KeralaThis brutalist mosque by studio Common Ground explores concrete forms and top light as a symbol of spirituality in tropical, southern India
-
The wait is over – the RIBA Stirling Prize 2025 shortlist is hereThe restored home of Big Ben, creative housing for different needs, and a centre for medical innovation – the RIBA Stirling Prize 2025 shortlist has just been announced, and its six entries are as diverse as they can be
-
Slides, clouds and a box of presents: it’s the Dulwich Picture Gallery’s quirky new pavilionAt the Dulwich Picture Gallery in south London, ArtPlay Pavilion by Carmody Groarke and a rich Sculpture Garden open, fusing culture and fun for young audiences
-
Bay House brings restrained modern forms and low-energy design to the Devon coastA house with heart, McLean Quinlan’s Bay House is a sizeable seaside property that works with the landscape to mitigate impact and maximise views of the sea
-
A whopping 92% of this slick London office fit-out came from reused materialsCould PLP Architecture's new workspace provide a new model for circularity?
-
The Architecture Edit: Wallpaper’s houses of the monthWallpaper* has spotlighted an array of remarkable architecture in the past month – from a pink desert home to structures that appears to float above the ground. These are the houses and buildings that most captured our attention in August 2025
