BARBICAN ARCHIVE JUKEBOX
Explore the Barbican Centre archive through oral histories and projected animations
As part of a wider Heritage Fund project looking at the history and the design of the iconic Barbican Arts Centre and Estate, we were asked to create a contemporary and interactive way to bring the Barbican archive material to life.
The Barbican Archive Jukebox includes projected animations showing architects drawings, construction photos and catalogues of past programmes of events. While gathering research, we recorded local residents stories about what it’s like to live within the community of the Barbican and neighbouring Golden Lane Estate. We also collected oral histories from one of the architects daughter, the arts centre’s first house manager and spoke to the Barbican Young Curators group about the future of archiving.
“Wonderful introductions to this fabulous building and everything inside. From beginning to end – the views from the residents, the architects interesting drawings and the archives, saving what could have been lost forever.”
The Barbican Archive Jukebox is a semi-permanent pop-up display that toured around the Barbican residents towers before taking up residency in Level G of the Barbican Arts Centre and the Barbican Library between 7 October 29 November 2019. More pop-ups are scheduled for 2020. Check back for updates!
“It was fantastic to see Stand + Stare bring the history of the Barbican to life through the Barbican Archive Jukebox, using animations, oral histories and archive material to tell the story of the Barbican past and present. The Jukebox design responded creatively to the Barbican’s architecture, featuring shapes from the building and colourful Perspex to create an eye-catching contrast with the Barbican’s concrete.”
Client
Barbican Centre
Date
7 October 2019 - ongoing
Currently available to see in the Barbican Library
Collaborators
Debs Hoy - creative producer
Aron Duckworth - fabrication
Pete Bennett - tech support
Billy Mann (Interviewee)
Abondance Matanda (Interviewee)
Polly Powell (Interviewee)
Libby Rice (Interviewee)
Christopher Sharp (Interviewee)
Kate Wood (Interviewee)
and the Barbican Young Curators Group
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