The Barbican Conservatory is London’s second biggest conservatory (after the Princess of Wales house at The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew) and is the perfect escape on a cold day. A secret oasis, it is housed under more than 2,000 square metres of glass and steel roof and spread over several levels. It’s home to more than 1,500 species of plants, including bananas, palms and cacti, as well as koi-filled ponds, all of which soften the Brutalist complex.
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The conservatory, which opened in 1984 is now set to undergo a major restoration project. Multi-award-winning landscape designers Harris Bugg Studio have been appointed to revitalise the planting, working alongside Allies & Morrison, Asif Khan Studio and environmental engineers Buro Happold.
Charlotte Harris said of the project: "After forty-three years as a much-loved and globally significant Conservatory, the ageing infrastructure has reached a critical tipping point. Above, the glass envelope is failing. Below, cracks in the concrete are causing major leaks and damaging the theatre underneath. Throughout, outdated technical and operational systems struggle to support the incredible horticultural expertise of the Barbican's head gardener Marta Lowcewicz and her team. And while the space is beloved by many, accessibility issues mean it isn’t yet a place everyone can fully enjoy."
Hugo Bugg, co-founder of Harris Bugg Studio, added: "This is no longer a case of minor improvements or horticultural housekeeping. The Conservatory needs an ambitious renewal — one that combines cutting-edge innovation, accessibility for all, and a commitment to securing its future for generations to come."
The Conservatory project is part of phase one of the Barbican Renewal Programme, which is a long-term plan to secure the future of the grade-II listed site.
Harris Bugg Studio will collaborate extensively with Marta Lowcewicz, and her team who have tended the space and made it the much-loved sanctuary that visitors have come to expect. Their expertise will play a key role in how the space is reimagined.
Hugo said: "At its heart, this will always be a place where plants and the conditions they require to thrive take centre stage. Our first step is to truly understand the Conservatory as it is today: auditing the plants and their conditions, listening to Marta and her team about the challenges they face, imagining together what the ideal setup could look like, and co-creating an ambitious new curatorial strategy.”
Charlotte Harris, co-founder of Harris Bugg Studio, and senior landscape architect Sybille de Cussy will lead the project, supported by a team of experts including Matthew Pottage, Karen Fitzsimon CMLI, Christopher Young and Phil Griffiths.
Charlotte told Gardens Illustrated : "This is one of the great wow-factor gardens of the world. Cinematic and monumental, the Barbican Conservatory is a place unlike any other. Horticulture, history, design—all wrapped into unparalleled eco-brutalist experience. It’s a place where Londoners know they can lose themselves in the planting and architecture, and where first-time visitors stand open-mouthed in wonder. To have the opportunity to only work on it ourselves, but to also be able bring together a handpicked team of botanic and heritage experts at the top of their game to work with on a day-to-day basis—this is the dream project of a lifetime."
The design will aim to make the Conservatory a place for everyone to enjoy, improving accessibility, including opening up areas like the previously out-of-bounds fly tower walkways and extending and rethinking opening hours to make it more inclusive and welcoming for all, with the plants taking 'centre-stage'.
Originally built to hide the Barbican's large fly tower, the conservatory has now become a favourite spot among Londoners and tourists alike. Garden designer and landscape architect Ula Maria lives in London and visits the space often. "Everything is so green and lush, it feels like the plants are reclaiming the buildings," she says. "I go quite regularly with my partner James, who is also a landscape architect, and it is good for us to be reminded of what you can achieve in a city."
Work on site is likely to begin in 2027, requiring the closure of the conservatory for a period.
IMPORTANT INFO
Address Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS
Tel 020 7638 4141
Web barbican.org.uk
