Barbican Cromwell Tower

We were selected by the residents to refurbish the entrance lobby and common room at the foot of this forty-two storey tower in the Barbican. In order to work with the crafted Brutalism of the original building, we researched original layouts and colours, and re-interpreted them. We stripped back later additions, revealing the bush-hammered concrete and purple-red clay tile floor, and built a new reception desk in brick – responding to the distinctive existing fixed furniture, and incorporating the bust of Cromwell.

A terracotta red carpet and dark gauze curtain enhance the intimacy and warmth of the first floor common lounge. By painting the rear wall lining in reflective granite green, and the ceiling in dark bronze, we achieved a calm but vivid atmosphere, supporting both quiet daytime use and evening events. Our interventions renew the raw but luxurious spirit in which the Barbican was first conceived.