28 THE RIVER MAGAZINE | Winter 2017 | P R O P E R T Y | T he two communities have much in common; just a few decades ago both had mixed reputations and have emerged to become highly sought-after places to live. They both have an intimate community feel with residents impressively proud of their unique locations and both enjoy enviable access to the City on foot. Alex Miller recently joined the Sales team at Williams Lynch bringing with him unparalleled specialist knowledge of the Barbican and its surrounding area, developed during his 20 years in the property sector. When we met up with Alex, shortly after his arrival on Bermondsey Street, he said,“I am really pleased to join Mark and the team at Williams Lynch - and I’m looking forward to bringing together buyers and sellers on both sides of the river.” Of the Barbican, Alex elaborated, “It’s a totally unique place in a very historic part of London. There were originally 2,014 flats in the original Barbican Estate. In recent years, 69 new flats were created on the top three floors of Frobisher Crescent, and 74 flats have been created from converting the former YMCA Building in Fann Street, now Blake Tower.” He continued with a fascinating insight into the development, “The properties are all categorised into ‘types’(layouts) on the original Barbican Estate, of which there are over 100. Each ‘type’was given a number by the City Corporation when the Barbican was built. Some types appear in large numbers in many buildings; some are found only once or twice. Some ‘types’of apartment are so rare and sought after, they will command extraordinary prices, and this has contributed to a micro market within the development even in these uncertain economic times.” The idea behind its design, by architects Chamberlin Powell and Bon was to create a residential area within the most badly damaged part of the city of London (which had been almost entirely destroyed during the war). They won the contract to design the Barbican having designed The Golden Lane estate just over a decade before construction North North North south & The Barbican a little more than a mile walk from Bermondsey Street, but for property owners in both places the distance between them has just narrowed with the arrival of Alex Miller atWilliams Lynch. Alex Miller (left) has recently joined Williams Lynch, with Eddi Matthiasson