View of city of London including Barbican residential towers (1979/1979) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
The Barbican Nears Completion
In the 1970s, photographer Peter Bloomfield started documenting the decades-long construction of the Barbican as the build drew to a close.
The Barbican Centre (1979-11-20/1979-11-20) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
His images begin from the later stages of the construction process and they run right up to the building’s opening by Queen Elizabeth II in March 1982.
Angus Watson (1979-12-26/1979-12-26) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
Bloomfield’s point of contact at the Barbican was the Centre’s press officer, Angus Watson.
The Barbican Centre (1980-01-19/1980-01-19) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
‘It’s nearly finished, you’ll go round, you’ll find dirt and dust and mess’, he told Bloomfield.
The Barbican Centre (1979-12-05/1979-12-05) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
‘But we don’t want to see that. What we want to see is as much of the Barbican as it’s going to be in a couple of years’ time as possible. Do you think you can do that?’
The Barbican Centre (1979-11-08/1979-11-08) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
So some of Bloomfield’s images are slightly staged: he moved scaffolding, builders’ rubble and rogue fire extinguishers before he took them.
The Barbican Centre (1980-02-24/1980-02-24) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
The Barbican Centre (1979-11-26/1979-11-26) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
The Barbican Centre (1979-11-10/1979-11-10) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
The Barbican Centre (1979-11-15/1979-11-15) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
The Barbican Centre (1979-11-11/1979-11-11) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
The Barbican Centre (1980-03-13/1980-03-13) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
Bloomfield later returned to document the Barbican's opening celebrations in March 1982.
The Barbican Centre (1980-02-13/1980-02-13) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
The Barbican Centre (1980-03-05/1980-03-05) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
Barbican Foyer by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
Event at the Barbican (1982) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
View of Barbican Staircase (1982) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
Barbican Foyer (1982) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre
Behind the lens
