Get curated editors’ picks, peeks behind the scenes, film recommendations and more.
‘The old rubs along with the new quite happily here, always has.’
The square mile of the City of London is the geographical, historical and financial centre of the UK’s capital. After a portion of it was destroyed in the Second World War, local authorities and architects hatched a plan to reinvent the area into a flourishing neighbourhood for urban professionals. Today, both the Barbican Estate housing complex and the Barbican Centre arts venue still seem forward-looking, with an identity that’s either an architectural landmark or an urban eyesore, depending on your taste for Brutalism. Released in 1969, when the Barbican was still very much a work in progress, this film explores – with a good bit of charm, cheese and Union Flag-waving – how the innovative project helped to reimagine the modern city.
Director: Robin Cantelon
Website: London Metropolitan Archives
video
Technology and the self
A haunting scene from ‘Minority Report’ inspires a voyage into time and memory
7 minutes
video
Family life
The stream-of-consciousness thoughts and memories that emerge while cooking a meal
5 minutes
video
Ecology and environmental sciences
GPS tracking reveals stunning insights into the patterns of migratory birds
6 minutes
video
Human rights and justice
Can providing humanitarian aid be illegal? A troubling case from the US-Mexico border
17 minutes
video
Space exploration
The rarely told story of the fruit flies, primates and canines that preceded us in space
12 minutes
video
Film and visual culture
A lush animated opus evokes the frenzied pace of modern life
4 minutes
video
Family life
The precious family keepsakes that hold meaning for generations
10 minutes
video
Archaeology
What did the first people who entered Tutankhamun’s tomb see?
5 minutes
video
Information and communication
Coverage of the ‘balloon boy’ hoax forms a withering indictment of for-profit news
17 minutes