A walk through the Barbican, London

I love walking along the elevated walkways around the Barbican on a weekend when there’s barely a soul around.

We started our walk from Moorgate tube station, where the surrounding architecture mixes up the old, the good, the bad, the hideous 80s, the ghastly clunky 90s and some easier-on-the-eye modern developments.

The curve of Moor House. Located at the corner of Moorgate and London Wall, the building was designed by Foster and Partners and offers 28,000 m² of office space in 19 storeys.

A 36 m shaft under the building incorporates part of Crossrail’s new station and ticket hall serving Liverpool Street.

Window detail.

Looking towards the Barbican as we climbed up to the elevated walkway.

CityPoint tower, Ropemaker Street on the northern fringes of the City of London..

It was originally built in 1967 as a 35-storey, 122 metres (400 ft) tall headquarters for British Petroleum (now BP).

It lost its original name of Britannic House after a large  refurbishment in 2000 boosted the height to 127 metres (417 ft) and increased the available floor space.

‘When the planners dream goes wrong.’

All of the shops and commercial premises on the walkway were closed, including this pub. I assume they’re about to be redeveloped.

View of the Heron and Gherkin towers from the Barbican.

Deserted roads in the heart of London.

Look at the tackle on that!

Another view of CityPoint with its distinctive curved shape and roof feature.

Built between 1965 and 1976, on a 35-acre World War II bomb site, the Barbican estate now houses 4,000 people living in 2,014 flats. Its concrete-tastic construction isn’t to everyone’s tastes, but it’s now Grade II listed.

I sort of like this stark slab of concrete, even if it does look like a Brutalist  castle.

Parts of the old shopping centre are in a bit of a state.

A glimpse of old London.

Closed bank.

Still standing amongst all the concrete is this piece of medieval London.

The Podium pub is boarded up.

Designed by architect Richard Rogers, 88 Wood Street is a striking building. I initially thought this was the Lloyds building, but have been corrected by the readers below. Thanks!

The dramatic sight of the Lloyd’s building at night.

[Moorgate history]

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