Design Team Led by Diller Scofidio + Renfro Shortlisted for Barbican Centre Renewal

The team is amongst five international finalists chosen to propose a major renewal of the London icon

London, UK - 11 January 2022 - The City of London Corporation today announced the five talented UK and international design-led teams shortlisted in The Barbican Renewal project competition. Bids that combined emerging and established practices were especially encouraged as part of an open and inclusive selection process.

The Barbican Centre, a leading global arts and learning institution, is one of London’s most ambitious architectural achievements and an icon of brutalism. The Barbican Renewal project, first announced in February last year, will preserve and respect the complex’s original architectural vision, while adapting it to respond to the creative opportunities and challenges of today. This will include upgrading venues, bringing underused spaces back to life, and improving the welcome, wayfinding and digital technology at the site, reflecting the energy of London’s many communities and the Barbican Centre’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

The shortlisted teams are (in alphabetical order):

• Adjaye Associates, Benedetti Architects and PUP Architects alongside Charcoalblue, David Bonnett, DP9, Nigel Dunnett, OneDotZero, Peter Stewart, The Place Bureau, Transsolar, WSP.
• Allies and Morrison and Asif Khan Studio alongside Alan Baxter Ltd, Buro Happold, Charcoalblue, Hood Design Studio, Isaac Julien Studio, les éclaireurs.
• BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group, Avanti Architects, and POoR Collective alongside Applied, Atelier Ten, Barker Langham, Buro Happold, Charcoalblue, People Friendly Design, Speirs + Major.
• Diller Scofidio + Renfro, McCloy + Muchemwa, and Purcell alongside Buro Happold, Charcoalblue, David Bonnett, GROSS. MAX., L’Observatoire, Nagata Acoustics, Nigel Dunnett, North Design, Patrick Burnham OBE, The Young Foundation, Transsolar.
• FCBStudios (Feilden Clegg Bradley), Bureau de Change, Schulze+Grassov, and Thinc alongside AKT II, James Hitchmough, JWE, Max Fordham, Momentum, Nigel Dunnett, Ramboll.

The five shortlisted teams will propose design options for the project, which would be deliverable within a construction cost budget of £50m to £150m. The budget for the project is subject to approval by the City Corporation, and the successful design team will be asked to develop a range of options that would be deliverable at different budget levels. An honorarium of £20,000 will be provided to each of the five teams, with the final appointment made in April 2022.

The Barbican Renewal Project will also tackle a critical need to make major improvements to the building’s environmental performance. Under its Climate Action Strategy, the City Corporation commits to achieving net zero carbon status for its own operations by 2027 and its investment and supply chain by 2040.

Chair of the City of London Corporation’s Barbican Centre Board, Tom Sleigh, said: “The Barbican is a much-loved global icon. This project will harness the visionary ambition of the City of London Corporation forty years ago, which chose to build the Centre, and make the venue ready for another four decades, continuing and amplifying the brilliant artistic achievements since then. Crucially, this project will strengthen the Barbican’s ability to play a leading role in the recovery of the City and the capital from the pandemic. We are delighted at the response we received from design teams, and the five shortlisted consortia combine the creative talents of some really impressive established and emerging architectural practices. We’re looking forward to hearing their plans for how they can work with us to deliver this exciting scheme.”

Each year, over a million people attend Barbican Centre events performed by hundreds of artists from across the globe. Under its Artistic Director, Will Gompertz, the Barbican is rolling out a new Creative Vision which will be the driving force for a more inclusive, diverse, and accessible arts and education centre, where everyone feels welcome. The arts centre is also recruiting a CEO – a brand new position for the organisation.

The Barbican Centre is a key part of Culture Mile, the City of London’s cultural district, stretching from Farringdon to Moorgate. Led by the City of London Corporation, with the Barbican Centre, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London Symphony Orchestra and Museum of London, the five partners are together creating a vibrant, creative area in the north-west corner of the Square Mile.

The City of London Corporation, which is the founder and principal funder of the Barbican Centre, is the fourth largest funder of heritage and cultural activities in the UK and invests over £130m every year.

Further information about the project and the brief can be found here.

About The City of London Corporation:

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally-successful UK – www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

About The Barbican Centre:

A world-class arts and learning organisation, the Barbican pushes the boundaries of all major art forms including dance, film, music, theatre and visual arts. Its creative learning programme further underpins everything it does. Over a million people attend events annually, hundreds of artists and performers are featured, and more than 300 staff work onsite. The architecturally renowned centre opened in 1982 and comprises the Barbican Hall, the Barbican Theatre, The Pit, Cinemas 1, 2 and 3, Barbican Art Gallery, a second gallery The Curve, public spaces, a library, the Lakeside Terrace, a glasshouse conservatory, conference facilities and three restaurants. The City of London Corporation is the founder and principal funder of the Barbican Centre. The Barbican is home to Resident Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra; Associate Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra; Associate Ensembles the Academy of Ancient Music and Britten Sinfonia, Associate Producer Serious, and Artistic Partner Create. Our Artistic Associates include Boy Blue, Cheek by Jowl, Deborah Warner, Drum Works and Michael Clark Company. The Los Angeles Philharmonic are the Barbican’s International Orchestral Partner, the Australian Chamber Orchestra are International Associate Ensemble at Milton Court, and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra are International Associate Ensemble – https://www.barbican.org.uk/

About Diller Scofidio + Renfro:

Founded in 1981, Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) is an interdisciplinary design studio based in New York. With a focus on cultural and civic projects, DS+R’s work addresses the changing role of institutions and the future of cities. DS+R completed two of the largest architecture and planning initiatives in New York City’s recent history: the High Line and the transformation of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. The studio also completed the 35-acre Zaryadye Park, adjacent to the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral and Red Square in Moscow and is currently working on major public space projects in Madrid and Milan. DS+R’s work with global cultural institutions expands access to the arts with projects like the Broad contemporary art museum in Los Angeles, and the V&A Storehouse, under construction in London. DS+R also completed two projects that have reshaped New York’s cultural landscape: the surgical renovation and expansion of MoMA and The Shed, a start-up multi-arts institution originally conceived by DS+R.

About McCloy + Muchemwa:

Steve McCloy and Bongani Muchemwa co-founded their design studio in 2017, while simultaneously working on public and heritage buildings at major architectural practices. The practice has since gone on to win several design competitions for public realm installations, and has received early recognition in the Architects’ Journal ‘40 Under 40’

McCloy + Muchemwa describes its approach as founded on a love of the artistic process, with a commitment to making affordable, understandable and evocative work. Believing that spatial and ergonomic conditions can be transformed by deceptively simple interventions, it uses a critical approach, bold form and colour to create playful, experimental public space.

The practice draws on lessons from its installations and small projects for larger work re-imagining buildings, institutions and public spaces. The practice also tests ideas drawn from Muchemwa’s teaching at the University of Westminster and Bartlett School of Architecture and McCloy’s work as a research author.

About Purcell:

Purcell are an award-winning international practice of Architects, Masterplanners & Heritage Consultants, ranked in the Top 20 in Architects Journal Top 100 list of largest UK registered practices. We recently entered the World Architecture 100 list at an impressive 83. Founded in 1947, we are the largest UK practice working in the field of historic buildings, with a strong track record in delivering sensitive, award-winning creative design, conservation and refurbishment projects to historic places, listed buildings, Scheduled Ancient Monuments, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Purcell provides a full architectural service, as Architect, Executive Architect and Lead Consultant. We undertake project work from inception through development of the brief, concept design, detailed design, preparation of production information, contract administration and inspection of work on site. Whether we’re breathing new life into a historic place or building for the future, creative vision, technical expertise, and embedded sustainability are hallmarks of our approach.