Construction industry gossip: It all went swimmingly

In for a penny

One member of the City of London’s planning committee, which recently delayed a decision on giving it the OK, referred to 1 Undershaft’s viewing platform as resembling a “plastic spoon”, the sort “we used to get in cheap station cafes that you sort of swirl your coffee with”. I’m minded to say William Upton’s remarks pale beside the observation of one wag who likened it to a toilet seat. Eric Parry, founder of Eric Parry Architects and architect on the scheme, defended the “organic” design and said “the element of cantilever is like a loggia, a covering”. So a toilet seat, then.

Making hay

Speaking of this “toilet seat”, one of my hacks bumped into the PRs for the project running a last-minute consultation session to drum up public support before the City’s recent planning meeting. For some reason this consisted of setting out a group of deck chairs on St Helen’s Square, the plaza in the middle of the City’s tower cluster where the scheme would be built. It seemed to be going well, dozens of very relaxed, if possibly confused, City office workers were seen reclining on the chairs and basking in the afternoon sun. What they didn’t seem to have been told is that the plaza will be almost entirely plunged into shadow by the proposed tower’s viewing platform…

There was only question on everyone’s minds – and it wasn’t should Gareth Southgate resign?

It seemed to be going well, dozens of very relaxed, if possibly confused, City office workers were seen reclining on the chairs and basking in the afternoon sun. What they didn’t seem to have been told is that the plaza will be almost entirely plunged into shadow by the proposed tower’s viewing platform…

Simon says

To the CO-RE party last month which attracted the great and the good. Among those milling about was Lendlease boss Simon Gorski, on the front foot, pressing the flesh. There was only question on everyone’s minds – and it wasn’t should Gareth Southgate resign? Perhaps Gorski should have stood on a table, given an update on the sale, dropped the mic and moved on. It’s an idea.

Our friend in the North

A press release arrives and the quotes are attributed to Oliver North. This sparked a flashback to the 1980s and one Oliver North, a US general who came up with a plan to illegally sell arms to Iran back then and use the proceeds to fund rebels in Nicaragua fighting those damn Commies. He most definitely was not the director of cost and commercial management at Mace.

Not so fast

I hear one industry name was nicked for speeding and attended one of those speed awareness courses in which you spend three hours behind a computer screen, rather than collecting three points on your licence. Others on the course included a farmer, who got done at the ungodly hour of 4.30am. Asked what he had learnt from the course, the farmer deadpanned: “Go back to bed.”

Name the crane

Here’s a nice tale to end on. Northern Irish contractor Graham has linked up with Victoria Park primary school to name four cranes at Belfast’s first BTR development. The names, chosen by the kids at the school, will now be known as Lofty, Lottie, Lenny and Lily. Lovely.