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Today, the Barbican Centre launches a global search for a designer to reimagine furniture across its public spaces as part of its £231 million Renewal programme to restore and revitalise the Grade II-listed icon ahead of its 50th anniversary. As a home of bold ideas and great design, the Barbican is looking to champion the very best new practice in this field.

The competition is open to any designer, or design team, based in the UK or anywhere in the world. Proposals must be submitted online by 28 August 2026. A shortlist will be invited to full tender in September, with an appointment expected in November.

The rare commission offers an opportunity to shape how millions of visitors experience this international arts centre for decades to come, while responding to the future needs of one of the world’s most significant examples of Brutalist architecture.

Expected to run from 2026 to 2029, the appointment will cover a new furniture strategy and a bespoke range of up to 500 pieces for use throughout Europe’s largest multi-arts centre, which welcomes, on average, more than 30,000 people each week. 

Furniture items to be designed include armchairs and sofas, coffee tables and bar stools, communal benches with parasols, and stackable chairs for big events. 

The selected designer will place accessibility, flexibility and sustainability at the heart of the new designs, while responding to the artistic and architectural context of the Barbican.

Furniture has always been central to the Barbican’s identity. When the Centre opened in 1982, renowned designer Robin Day created bespoke seating, sofas, chairs and tables that responded directly to its distinctive Brutalist architecture and shaped the visitor experience throughout the building.

Over time, much of this original furniture has been replaced. Recent audience feedback, inclusive design work and co-design with visitors have highlighted the need for furniture that is more welcoming, cohesive, accessible and adaptable to the wide range of activities that take place across the Centre.

The commission will identify opportunities to reuse existing pieces and specify new off-the-shelf furniture, as well as producing designs for entirely bespoke solutions. This includes the Centre’s Lakeside, Sculpture Court, and Learning Spaces, as well as the redesigned foyers led by Allies and Morrison and Asif Khan Studio. Together, these form part of the wider Barbican Renewal programme, creating an excellent visitor experience across the site’s revitalised public spaces. 

Philippa Simpson, Chief Operating Officer, Barbican Centre, said:

“The Barbican is a social and civic centre, where people encounter a unique mix of arts, architecture and design. Furniture has always been central to that experience, setting a tone and inviting our visitors to spend time with us, formally and informally. 

“We’re looking for a designer or design team to create objects of quality and comfort, that respond to the Barbican’s extraordinary architecture and artistic purpose. We want these new designs to accommodate the remarkable range of activities that take place in our spaces, ensuring every single visitor knows they are welcome”.

Alex Watt, Architect at Asif Khan Studio, said:

“The Barbican’s foyers are some of the most important spaces in the building. They are places where audiences arrive, orient themselves and begin their experience of the Centre. We’re looking to enhance these spaces while celebrating the character and ambition of the original architecture, and this furniture commission is an exciting opportunity to extend that thinking. We want to find pieces that respond to the Barbican’s unique identity while supporting the many different ways people gather, move through and spend time in the building”.

The Barbican has been home to more than four decades of art, performance and public life since opening in 1982. As the Centre approaches its 50th anniversary, Barbican Renewal is delivering significant conservation and upgrades to ensure the Grade II listed building remains inclusive, sustainable and relevant for future generations.