Finding your way around the Barbican

[Donna Ferentes]

Can it be done?

 

[Crispy]

I consider it a challenge, like hiking through jungle.

My boss used to be in a resident's association at the Barbican and still has an enormous keyring that will let him into the strang secret underbellies and corridors of the Barbican. He keeps promising to take the office on a tour, but hasn't got round to it for years. Would be dead interesting though

 

[pootle]

Can it be done?

Yes. It's really not that difficult.

I mean, there are signs, and coloured lines on the floor and that sort of thing...it's sometimes just a bit disorientating, because you can't always see where you are compared to street level.

 

[Ant79]

There's the yellow line, of course. Better than any GPS system.

 

[Donna Ferentes]

I like the way you can't find your way out even when you're outside.

 

[laptop]

I like the way you can't find your way out even when you're outside.

I find the yellow line takes me to the Tube, unless I stop, have a huge spliff and forget which way was forward.

And inside is easy, too, so long as you remember that the floor numbers are elements in a finite field, not integers. As far I remember they are ordered "-3", "+2", "+5", "-1".

 

[Orang Utan]

Tis like an Escher engraving in some parts

 

[Donna Ferentes]

I mean, there are signs

Not very many and not very good ones.

 

[Groucho]

Can it be done?

Nope

I lost a friend there in 2003. As far as I know they are still there somewhere.

 

[Donna Ferentes]

They might be in the library. Since joining I've been there about thirty times and I still get lost almost every time.

 

[marty21]

We did get lost there once after seeing a film, we went through a door marked exit and found ourselves in a stairwell, each floor had a locked door, we tried about 5 different doors to get out (or back in) the cinema door could only be opened from the inside, when you left, so we couldn't get back into the cinema, we eventually did find a door and got back into the main bit...

it is a frustrating place, but i do like going there

 

[maldwyn]

Since joining I've been there about thirty times and I still get lost almost every time.

The only way I’m able to get to the library is by going up the escalators at Moorgate and following the worn yellow line past the water features that always induce thoughts of needing a piss.

 

[lang rabbie]

Since the latest revamp, I'd use the ground floor level doors on Silk Street

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Yeah, that's my usual entrance of choice, unless I get out of the tube at Barbican and go up the stairs.

Getting back to it, however, is harder. And as for trying to find the Gents...

 

[Mr Retro]

The Barbican was built on a Faery Ring and that is why you are all having difficulty getting out of it once you go in.

There are numerous ways to get out of a faery ring but I've found the best way is to just dance for all you're worth. Faeries are fairly benevolent creatures who love dancing so they will leave you out sooner rather than later.

 

[Mr Retro]

Without googling the first person to get the play this is from gets a faery prize:

"demi puppets that by moonshine green sour ringlets make"

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Well, let's guess A Midsummer Night's Dream before cheating....

 

[Mr Retro]

No

I cheated by the way - for the play, and disgracefully I did it in school.

 

[Donna Ferentes]

I just cheated. Storm in a teacup.

 

[Mr Retro]

<edit> a bit ahead of myself

 

[pootle]

Using the street level entrance at Silk Street is a go idea.

They have a reception and helpful people what can give directions. Oh, and signs of course

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Thing is though, the only direction you can really give from there is "up the stairs".

 

[rennie]

on our last visit we went thru the underground car park!

 

[jæd]

Once went for an interview at the Barbican... It was going really well until the end when the interviewer said that it was easy to get back to the outside and so we parted in a corridor... Took me at least an hour to return to civilisation. I think thats why I didn't get the job...

 

[bluestreak]

i always thought getting lost was part of the point of the barbican. MC and i went to the museum of london today and i was going to take her on a ramble through it but we were knackered and had stuff to do in a few hours.

 

[crustychick]

I have never been there, and frankly, I'm now a bit scared to

 

[Donna Ferentes]

You need to take a ball of thread and fasten one end to a post by the door as you enter....

 

[spanglechick]

I've never got lost (follow the yellow brick road / only go to the theatre) but I always get the worst belts of static off the brass handrails in the theatre foyer. Now since I am guaranteed to fall down stairs if I don't use handrails, I tend to avaid the whole place for that reason.

 

[marty21]

i like going there at weekends, you can park nearby, go and see your film/play/opera/exhibition/dance, whatever, have something to eat and drink...

easy to get to from hackney via public transport too...

 

[Tank Girl]

I have never been there, and frankly, I'm now a bit scared to

me neither, I really want to go now!!