Barbican Renewal
Wayfinding Co-design
Project
Barbican Renewal – Wayfinding Co-design Programme
Team
Barbican Centre, Assemble, Beyond the Box CIC, Co-designers,
Location
Central London - City of London
When
September – December 2025
We partnered with Assemble and the Barbican Renewal Team to deliver a youth-led co-design programme exploring the future of way-finding at the Barbican Centre.
Working with 12 co-designers aged 18–30, the programme brought together young creatives, local voices and future city-makers to reimagine how people move through, understand and experience one of London’s most iconic cultural spaces.
Through workshops, site exploration and collaborative design processes, participants investigated how navigation, storytelling and spatial identity shape people’s sense of belonging within complex public environments.
The Barbican is renowned for its striking architecture and cultural programme, yet its layered design can be challenging to navigate. As part of the wider Barbican Renewal, this co-design programme invited young people to contribute fresh perspectives on how the Centre communicates with its audiences through wayfinding.
We designed and facilitated a participatory programme that empowered emerging creatives to explore the relationship between architecture, accessibility and public experience.
Participants worked closely with designers and architects to examine how wayfinding systems can move beyond signage—becoming tools for orientation, storytelling and inclusion.
The Approach
Over four months, the cohort took part in a series of collaborative sessions exploring how people move through and experience the Barbican Centre.
Through guided site explorations, creative workshops and conversations with designers and architects, participants examined the relationship between architecture, navigation and public experience.
Drawing on their own perspectives and lived experiences, the co-designers developed ideas that challenge traditional approaches to wayfinding—reimagining how orientation, storytelling and spatial identity can shape a more welcoming cultural environment.
Outcomes
The programme generated a series of insights and creative proposals exploring the future of navigation at the Barbican.
Outputs included:
A Wayfinding Insights Report capturing participant research and lived experience
Concept proposals for more intuitive and inclusive navigation systems
Design prototypes and visual ideas developed through workshops
Strategic recommendations contributing to the wider Barbican Renewal conversation
These outcomes highlight the value of participatory design approaches in shaping cultural spaces that are accessible, engaging and reflective of the communities they serve.
