The Creative Space: Riley Sanders at Astro Lighting

Find out why “London’s Ugliest Building” is Riley’s Creative Space…

Product designer for Astro Lighting, Riley Sanders finds a strikingly brutalist building to be very inspiring and we wanted to know why.

So, can you tell us about this building and why it is inspiring to you? 

One of London’s most recognisable Brutalist style buildings, the Barbican is as controversial as it is influential. Voted as “London’s ugliest building,” it is defined by its three towers, acting as a point of reference when navigating through the maze of walkways through the estate to centre. Aesthetically the centre is quintessential brutalism, with bold modular concrete elements repeated throughout. A great example are the large distinctive balconies jutting out into the sky, repeated on each of the forty two storeys of the towers. It is these bold visual elements that make the building so recognisable.

 A hub for all things creative it is hard not to be inspired after a trip to the Barbican with a center for performing arts, several exhibition spaces, theatre halls and film screenings as well as the conservatory – a leafy sanctuary in the middle of the centre. Whether you’re looking for creative inspiration or simply just fancy a coffee and some people watching, the Barbican is always worth a visit.

All images are Riley’s own from his instagram account www.instagram.com/rileyjamessanders/