Ken Briggs Collection: Design In Situ

Documentation of the Barbican's original signage

Photograph of Installed Directional Signs at Barbican Hall by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

Design In Situ

The Ken Briggs Collection includes photographs of the original sign system as installed for the Barbican’s opening in 1982.

Photograph of Installed Directional Signs by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

Design In Situ

There have been many rethinks of Barbican signage over the years, so these images are now an essential record of how the building originally looked.

Photograph of Installed Signs by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

There are photographs of the foyers

Photograph of Installed Sign: Information by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

Photograph of Installed Directional Signs at a Main Exit by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

Photograph of Installed Sign: Cinema 1 by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

The venues

Photograph of Installed Sign: Circle Left by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

Photograph of Barbican Hall. Main Sign by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

Photograph of Installed Sign: The Waterside Cafe by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

The original names of the restaurants and cafes

Photograph of Installed Sign: The Conservatory Terrace by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

Photograph of Membership Sign. by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

And details such as this Membership sign

Photograph of Installed Sign: Fire Hose Reel by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

And the instructions on this fire hose.

Photograph of Installed Pictograms: Lavatories by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

Even the design of the toilets

Photograph of Installed Litter Bin Sign by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

And the bins

Photograph of Installed Illuminated Sign: Car Park 4. by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

Had been thought through.

Photograph of Installed Directional Signs showing Stairs: Barbican Hall, Theatre by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

Interested in seeing more?

Learn more about the Ken Briggs Collection here.

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The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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