area in the City of London (London, City of) containing residential towers and Barbican Centre, a complex of theatres, halls, and cultural facilities. The London Symphony Orchestra is resident in the arts complex, which is also the London home of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Initial, modest plans for the Barbican Centre were drafted in the 1950s, but more extensive designs were later produced, and the centre was eventually opened in 1982. Its central complex, which is partly underground, includes Barbican Hall (an auditorium with 2,026 seats), Barbican Theatre (with more than 1,160 seats), the Pit Theatre (for smaller productions), an art gallery, a library, a conservatory, cinemas, numerous exhibition halls, restaurants, and lecture facilities. Adjacent to the arts complex are high-rise flats (apartments) built to accommodate thousands of residents (thus greatly augmenting the limited population of the “Square Mile” of central London). Terraces, fountains, and an artificial lake adorn the surrounding plazas.