{"product_id":"golden-lane-and-barbican-architecture-walking-tour-saturday-25-july-2026-11am","title":"Golden Lane and Barbican Architecture Walking Tour - Saturday 25 July 2026 11am","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"sqsrte-large\"\u003eJoin Open City for a walking tour exploring London’s iconic Golden Lane and Barbican estates. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe walk — led by Jessica Barker-Wren — will explore the Golden Lane and Barbican estates which were designed by architects Chamberlin, Powell \u0026amp; Bon and have witnessed a rollercoaster ride of changing public opinion over the decades.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDespite 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. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStarting 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eIt 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. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eBefore it was devastated by wartime bombing, this area had been dominated by warehouses and industrial premises. From 1952 to 1982, Chamberlin, Powell \u0026amp; 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eIn their scale and ambition the two estates together rank among the foremost achievements of postwar planning and architecture anywhere in the world. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eKey information\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMeet:\u003c\/strong\u003e 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)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnd:\u003c\/strong\u003e near the Barbican Centre.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDuration:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2hrs \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDistance:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.7 km approx\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRoute notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e 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\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhoto: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Barbican_Estate,_London_1.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eBarbican Estate, London by Paul the Archivist, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Originally taken 16 September 2017.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"OpenCityShop","offers":[{"title":"Pay it forward ticket","offer_id":56937296527738,"sku":"TOURS","price":29.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Standard ticket","offer_id":56937296560506,"sku":"TOURS","price":19.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Over 65s ticket","offer_id":56937296593274,"sku":"TOURS","price":13.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Under 25s ticket","offer_id":56937296626042,"sku":"TOURS","price":9.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Income support\/jobseekers ticket","offer_id":56937296658810,"sku":"TOURS","price":9.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1068\/1786\/files\/Open_City_Archtiecture_Tour_Barbican_Estate__London_1.jpg?v=1774007998","url":"https:\/\/shop.open-city.org.uk\/products\/golden-lane-and-barbican-architecture-walking-tour-saturday-25-july-2026-11am","provider":"Open City Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}