Museum of London & Bastion House
Built 1977
Designed by Powell & Moya
The Museum of London, part of the Barbican estate, was (according to 20th Century Society), “the first post-war museum to be built in London and the largest urban history museum in the world”. Above it, on stilts, is Bastion House. Also designed by Powell & Moya as a speculative office block.
Will Noble amusingly wrote “…. it looks like the world's biggest broken flight departures board, or the Evil Headquarters of an Evil Corporation where Evil People think up Evil Ideas.”
Which is why I like it so much.
There is an application to demolish both buildings now the Museum of London is moving to Smithfield Market. Historic England have issued a Certificate of Immunity from listing, so the likliehood is that we will have to say farewell to yet another post-war building. This is despite opposition from the Barbican Association (88% would like to see the buildings restored and reused).
