BARBICANIA

Due to popular demand for an additional movie screening in the summer, we were able to screen this movie about some of London’s most recognisable buildings on the Barbican estate. On the specific request of the Art Gallery of the Barbican Centre, Ila Bêka and Louise Lemoine, internationally known for their unique take on architecture and whose films we have screened in the past, settled themselves for a month in the heart of one of the most important european art centres and most representative achievements of Brutalist architecture.

The film, built as a personal diary, recounts on a daily basis all that the two directors discovered during their urban trip from the top floors of the towers to the underground levels of the art centre. Through an impressive gallery of portraits, the film draws an intimate human map of the place, breathing life into this harsh district and questioning the durability of this utopia from the 50s.

This film gave us an insight into daily life and activities on the Barbican estate, and we were lucky to have two members in the audience who lived at The Barbican and could give us their first hand views on this film.  Attendance was high and the debate lively, and we thank you all for your continued support of the movie nights. We shall return in the Autumn with more exciting architecture screenings, and as always welcome any suggestions for movies you would like to see. Thank you!

Written by: Chris Musangi, AIA