Golden Lane and Barbican Architecture Walking Tour - Saturday 4 July 2026 11am
Regular price $41.00
Join Open City for a walking tour exploring London’s iconic Golden Lane and Barbican estates.
The walk — led by Francis Pugh — will explore the Golden Lane and Barbican estates which were designed by architects Chamberlin, Powell & Bon and have witnessed a rollercoaster ride of changing public opinion over the decades.
Despite moments of controversy, the Barbican is now an internationally celebrated design icon and popular cultural destination. This tour will explore the unique and enigmatic architectural ingredients that draw people in again and again to explore this thought-provoking concrete megastructure.
Starting at the Barbican’s older sibling -- the Golden Lane estate -- this walk will explore the history of the two neighbouring landmark developments and place their architecture within the wider 20th Century context. At the Barbican itself, by seeking out some of the lesser known nooks and corners within the estate we will unpick its design and details; and by exploring the light and shade, the under and over, the hard and the soft, consider what it is that makes this place an architectural masterpiece.
It will also delve into the contributions of politicians and planners who sought to promote a new kind of inner city living — one which emphatically rejected the anti-urban ideals of the bucolic and suburban Garden City movement.
Before it was devastated by wartime bombing, this area had been dominated by warehouses and industrial premises. From 1952 to 1982, Chamberlin, Powell & Bon single-handedly transformed the City of London’s outer edge into a radical new neighbourhood providing 6,513 dwellings spread over an area totalling 17 hectares.
In their scale and ambition the two estates together rank among the foremost achievements of postwar planning and architecture anywhere in the world.
The walk ends near the Barbican Centre — the international arts complex that lies at the heart of the Barbican Estate, looking across the artificial lake towards the medieval church of St Giles Cripplegate and remnants of the ancient City Wall.
Key information
Meet: Outside The Shakespeare pub on the corner of Fann Street, 2 Goswell Rd EC1M 7AA. (the 2nd stop on this tour is at Blake Tower)
End: near the Barbican Centre.
Duration: 2hrs
Distance: 1.7 km approx
Route notes: Step free access is possible for most of the route with lift access available for those that may need it to reach the Barbican Highwalk
Francis Pugh is a Barbican resident, lecturer and City of London green badge guide – with a particular interest in leading tours of the City’s 20th and 21st century architecture. He has led tours for the Barbican Centre Renewal Project team, for local City businesses and the Architecture Foundation. Francis is also the Co-Lead Volunteer for the Barbican Wildlife Group, the volunteers who manage and maintain the Barbican Wildlife Garden for the Barbican Estate.
He joined the Open City tours team in July 2021.
Please select pay it forward ticket if you feel you can to help our charity to help offer reduced concessionary tickets to others who may otherwise be unable to attend.
We offer reduced-price tickets for people who are currently without paid work (e.g., job seekers). If you're retired, please select the Over 65s ticket, which also includes a small discount if you require this.
We aim to be inclusive and accessible where possible, please contact Adrianna at tours@open-city.org.uk to discuss your accessibility needs, reduced ticket prices and if you require a free carer ticket.
Tickets are non-refundable and tours go ahead rain or shine.
Photography may be taking place on any of our tours, please indicate on the day if you do not want to be in any of the photos.
* Please check for any planned transport engineering works, planned strike action or large scale events that may affect your journey before making your ticket purchase *
If you find you can no longer make the tour for any reason including Covid we are unable to transfer you to another date, but please feel free to pass your booked place onto a friend to go and enjoy the tour in your place.
In the event your tour date is cancelled you will be issued with a credit note (with no expiry date) that you can use to
- book onto a rescheduled date
- book onto any other tour from our programme
or you can request a refund.
All ticket purchases are in support of the work of our organisation including our pioneering education programmes. We really appreciate your support!
Get in touch with Adrianna at tours@open-city.org.uk with any queries.
