The City of London has planned to knock down the old Museum of London for some time, hoping to redevelop the area into office blocks.
Although the museum has been part of the Barbican since 1976, it has been empty since it closed its doors to the public in December 2022.
This was part of the wider plan to redevelop London Wall West into two new office buildings with a ground plaza in between.
The reason behind this transformation is because the buildings, including the existing 17-storey office block Bastion House, are not being used.
According to the application for destruction, the building, which was an important part of London’s post-war architecture, “no longer meets the needs and expectations of today’s office occupiers”.
A spokesperson for the City of London, which is both the body applying for planning permission and the planning authority itself, said: “Demand for high-quality and sustainable office space remains high.”
Indeed, statistics suggest a further 73,000 office workers will need space in London before 2040, which means there is a strong demand for better-quality office space.
Therefore, in place of the museum and Bastion House, modern office blocks will be built, while the Barbican Centre, which is a performing arts building that hosts art exhibitions, concerts and shows, will also be upgraded.
This is an example of why destruction is the optimum choice, as retrofitting the buildings would not be better for the public and the building’s occupants, as workplace needs have changed over the years.
Additionally, the City of London’s spokesperson claims that the alterations would serve the city’s environmental interests better, creating a “vibrant and sustainable future for the site”.
