Barbican is one of my favourite places in London. The powerful brutalist architecture is like no other, standing proud on every street as a protective guardian over it's visitors and the Georgian landscape that withers in it's presence. Entwined are seemingly innocuous modern buildings constructed with glass and steel frameworks. But even they fade into ornamental pieces like earrings decorating the primary landscape of concrete masterpieces, bold blankets of grey, and continual edges and patterns cast against the sky.

The contradiction of the concrete blocks against the greenery that runs through them is a great reminder of natural adaptation and highlights the contrast of nature vs. construction. It allows us to remember there is life in the grey.

Heading inside the Barbican Centre cafe seems much more wholesome. There's a recognisable welcome as I'm met with more familiar traditions; sounds of a hubbub, smells of coffee and sweets, and the warm glow of incandescent lights. The grandeur of the concrete that stands outside is softened here, commanding less attention and allowing the softness of human company to seep through.

I love Barbican and have always felt an affinity with it. Where's your favourite place to help inspire and calm your mind?