A general view of the Barbican Centre
(Picture: Getty Images)Some of the world’s greatest architects are competing to lead the £150 million overhaul of the Barbican Centre.
The five-strong shortlist includes Bjarke Ingals, who designed Google’s US HQ, and David Adjaye, who designed the Holocaust memorial outside the Houses of Parliament.
The winning design will be expected to bring the brutalist art centre, built on a post-war bombsite, into the 21st century, making it more environmentally friendly and easier to navigate.
Also shortlisted are Diller Scofidio + Renfro, who designed the proposed Centre for Music on the Museum of London that was axed last year, FCB Studios, who restored Alexandra Palace theatre, and Allies and Morrison with Asif Khan Studio.
Tom Sleigh, who chaired the City of London’s Barbican Centre Board, said the project would “harness the visionary ambition” which saw the arts centre open its doors in 1982.
He said: “Crucially, this project will strengthen the Barbican’s ability to play a leading role in the recovery of the capital from the pandemic.”
A final decision on the winning design will be made in April.
