Barbican restoration continues
An underground parking area will be built to accommodate parking demands, according to managing director of Old Mutual Investment Group, Ben Kodisang.
Architect Robin Fee, responsible for the restoration, says the building has not only been cleaned of pollution and grime deposits, but that certain elements of the original building, such as the handrails, have been lovingly restored or replaced with exact replicas.
The Barbican stands alone on the corner of President and Rissik Streets, once a busy block of office buildings and shops. A mixture of classicism and art deco styles, it was originally filled with ground floor shops, seven floors of offices and a penthouse occupied by Barbican Photographic Studios.
The building had fallen into disrepair and had been occupied by squatters, who lit fires in several places ... it was a ‘miracle’ that it did not burn down, says Fee.
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