Conservation and Interior Design

A project for the City of London Grade II listed Barbican Centre Theatre.

These two unique compact bars are located under the steps of the Barbican Theatre.

These spaces are characterised by elements found around the Barbican centre, redeployed into a tight and considered arrangement. The steel bar structure is made from the handrails on the centre, and the ceiling comes from the art gallery. The handling of these pieces together with the use of mirrors creates a very different scale of experience, using very familiar design cues.

The furniture was discovered within the Barbican centre and reupholstered in plush velvet fabrics that relate to the theatre seating.

The refurbishment project is both a respectful repair to an element of this landmark complex of buildings, and an interpretation of how these spaces can remain relevant for current use.

Photography by Emily Marshall