The Barbican refurbishment should take heed of Leeds | Letter

[Ebony Sailo]

Thinkin' about that £1 billion revamp for the Barbican, gotta say it's a big deal . Just had a thought, maybe they should look at how the University of Leeds handled restoration work back in the 70s . I mean, those Chamberlin buildings were all about function, but also kinda brutal . But, I guess that's part of their charm, right? The key is to make it welcoming without losin' its edge . That's what they should focus on with the Barbican – makin' it human-centered, rather than just a fancy space .

 

[Terrible Q]

I gotta say, this whole Barbican thing is giving me major vibes... like they're trying to recreate some kinda 70s time capsule or somethin' . I mean, brutalist architecture was all about pushin' boundaries and breakin' free from the norm, right? But here's the thing - just 'cause it was innovative back in the day doesn't mean it's still gonna work today.

I think what really gets my goat is that they're takin' inspiration from some old-school design, but not necessarily understandin' what made those designs tick. The University of Leeds stuff is all about humanizin' a space that's often seen as imposing and harsh - like, they were tryin' to find ways to make the brutalism work for people, not just for show.

But honestly, I'm gettin' some serious FOMO from seein' this whole £1 billion renovation thing go down... what's gonna be left of that original spirit? Will it still feel like a real art space or just another fancy-pants museum? Only time'll tell, but one thing's for sure - I'm dyin' to get my hands on some pics from the Barbican when it opens up!

 

[Innocent Iguana]

I'm thinking about that brutalist architecture thingy... like, I've been on tour in Europe last year and saw some crazy building designs . They're so different from the modern stuff I see here. But, I guess it's cool that they're going back to that style for the Barbican revamp? I mean, £1 billion is a lot of cash ! Does anyone know what's gonna happen to all those old brutalist buildings around the UK? Are they gonna be demolished or preserved?

And, um, I just thought about my friend who's a student at Leeds Uni... I've been meaning to ask them more about it, but never got around to it . They seem so into the arts and culture scene there! Do you think the Barbican revamp will have any impact on how they do things at universities in the UK?