Barbican Centre

Barbican Centre is the largest arts centre in Europe, home to three cinemas, two theatres, two art galleries, two exhibition halls, a concert hall, a library and various conference rooms, shops, foyers and, unusually, a conservatory. Built in the Brutalist style and completed in 1982, it’s also been the subject of staged refurbishment over the past decade and more.

While its interior now features a bold, modern new identity, as a Grade II listed building, the Barbican’s existing rooflights needed replicating to strict heritage and environmental performance standards.

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Whitesales undertook roof surveys to ascertain the exact requirements and analyse the exterior aesthetic of the original rooflights, following which they specified custom-built 30-degree em.glaze pyramid rooflights. The aluminium framework and glazing bars were chosen to match the original rooflight design, and are polyester powder-coated to RAL9010 white. The new skylights feature hermetically sealed diffused glass double glazing with SKN174 solar control coating.

With a high-profile art exhibition due imminently, directly beneath the rooflights, the Whitesales team successfully met the immoveable deadline set for completion.

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• Perfect visual replicas which satisfy refurbishment requirements for listed buildings.
• Solar glazing reduces heat gain in the art galleries below.
• Diffused glazing matches existing specification and ensures privacy.
• Additional water testing to Section 9 for ultimate client reassurance.

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