Women of the Wheel: Julia Barfield
Womanica
Acast Creative Studios
4.3 • 920 Ratings
🗓️ 5 September 2025
⏱️ 6 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Julia Barfield (1952-present) is a British architect most well-known as one of the designers of the London Eye observation wheel. She continues to work as an architect today, with a particular focus on addressing the climate crisis.
For Further Reading:
- Architects David Marks and Julia Barfield: how we made the London Eye
- London Eye at 25: The wheel that nearly wasn't
- Julia Barfield: ‘A lot of architects have the ideas but they don't take them forward'
- I designed the London Eye — but without this sharp-eyed journalist it wouldn't have been built
This month, we're talking about Women of the Wheel – icons who turned motion into momentum and spun their legacies on spokes, skates and potter's wheels. These women harnessed the power of the axle, pushing their crafts and professions forward through their works and lives.
History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn't help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.
Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we'll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.
Womanica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, Brittany Martinez, Edie Allard, Carmen Borca-Carrillo, Taylor Williamson, Sara Schleede, Paloma Moreno Jimenez, Luci Jones, Abbey Delk, Adrien Behn, Alyia Yates, Vanessa Handy, Melia Agudelo, and Joia Putnoi. Special thanks to Shira Atkins.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:06.4 | Hello, from Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanica. |
| 0:11.4 | This month we're talking about women of the wheel, icons who turned motion into momentum |
| 0:15.6 | and spun their legacies on spokes, skates, and potter's wheels. |
| 0:19.7 | These women harness the power of the axle, pushing their crafts and possessions forward through their works and lives. |
| 0:25.6 | The turn of the Millennium, or Y2K, brought panic, speculation, and anticipation. |
| 0:31.6 | Some people stockpiled food, others sought out palm readings and spiritual guidance. |
| 0:36.6 | In London, there was a contest on how to embrace the impending calendar change with a new landmark. |
| 0:42.3 | One architect had just the right idea. |
| 0:44.3 | A landmark eye wasn't just to look at, but something that would allow someone to see the whole of London. |
| 0:50.3 | Let's talk about Julia Barfield, architect of the London Eye. |
| 1:04.0 | Born in 1952, Julia enjoyed school at a young age. She excelled in math and science and also found fulfillment in art, English, and history. |
| 1:09.0 | When faced with having to select a focus, she realized that |
| 1:12.0 | architecture could be the bridge between all these subjects, a marriage of the arts and the sciences. |
| 1:17.7 | From 1972 to 1978, Julia studied at the Architectural Association School of Architecture |
| 1:23.5 | in London, known as the AA for short. During her time there, she met fellow architect David Marks. |
| 1:30.3 | The two became partners in life and in business. |
| 1:34.3 | After graduating from the AA, Julia and David both worked for prominent architecture firms, |
| 1:39.3 | while also working to establish equitable housing developments |
| 1:42.3 | by squatting in derelict buildings |
| 1:44.5 | and participating in demonstrations. |
| 1:48.5 | By the late 1980s, David ventured off into his own practice. |
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