Building the Barbican Gallery

Barbican Centre JLP01_09_820695

BARBICAN CENTRE, SILK STREET, CITY OF LONDON. An exterior view of the main entrance to the Barbican Arts Centre.
John Laing & Son Ltd were responsible for the construction of Phase V of the Barbican development, which included the Barbican Arts Centre and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The Barbican Centre is a huge performing arts centre which houses a library, theatre, concert hall, cinemas, conservatory, seminar rooms and more. On Wednesday 3rd March 1982, the Barbican Centre was ceremonially opened by Queen Elizabeth II, who unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion

© Historic England Archive

Barbican Centre JLP01_09_0820697

BARBICAN CENTRE, SILK STREET, CITY OF LONDON. A view from a high vantage point of the main foyer in the newly opened Barbican Centre, showing a sculpture suspended over the staircase and the entrance for the Barbican Hall
This image was taken shortly after the opening of the Barbican Centre on Wednesday 3rd March 1982. The Barbican Centre was ceremonially opened by Queen Elizabeth II, who unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion. The sculpture in this image, designed by Michel Santry, is suspended from a skylight above the stairs. The sculpture is in the shape of an octahedron, and is built from six honeycomb groups of gold patina and brushed stainless steel

© Historic England Archive. John Laing Photographic Collection