This week, while British Land鈥檚 workers get to feel fabulous on a special sofa, the poor old design team have Heathrow sandwiches inflicted on them 鈥� and in a sign of the times, Bellway points out the bleeding obvious
Sofa so good
One of my team was recently invited to have a nose around British Land鈥檚 Storey Club space at its Paddington Central scheme in London. It鈥檚 basically the developer鈥檚 workspace business and can be used by anyone working on the site, with meeting rooms to hire from 拢95. There鈥檚 a sofa there that Storey Club head Steve Munroe calls the Fabulous Sofa. Why, asked my curious scribe. 鈥淏ecause you feel fabulous on it,鈥� Munroe replied. My hack had a go and he can couch for that 鈥�
The look of love
Stace held a bash last week to celebrate its 60th year in business, with more than 300 people turning up to the Oxo Tower on London鈥檚 South Bank to attend. The company, perhaps wisely, eschewed a 50th anniversary event, figuring that holding one in the teeth of a recession might not have been so clever. The Oxo Tower is a great place to hold shindigs like this, I鈥檓 told. 鈥淚t has outside terraces with views across the Thames so everyone can admire all the buildings they鈥檝e worked on,鈥� says my source, gazing at his navel.
On target for sometime in the future
If you鈥檙e looking at the sorry state of Crossrail鈥檚 missed deadlines and bust budgets from the point of view of someone planning its sequel, at least you have a good guide of what not to do next time. At an infrastructure event hosted by Aecom last week, Crossrail 2 boss Mich猫le Dix said: 鈥淧eople say this as a joke but, maybe sort of like not really a joke, maybe you shouldn鈥檛 say exactly when you鈥檙e going to open because there鈥檚 less chance of failure.鈥� The advice seems to be 鈥渒eep your target vague and everyone will stay off your back鈥�. As a battle plan it鈥檚 undeniably simple and effective. It also explains why Mark Wild鈥檚 six-month opening 鈥渨indow鈥� for the beleaguered Crossrail mark 1 goes well into 2021.
Man in a hurry
Staying with Crossrail, backbench Tory MP Sir David Evennett wants to know from transport secretary Chris Grayling, who in a very un-Grayling-like way has managed to avoid putting his foot in it during the recent political shenanigans, when the line might be extended all the way to Ebbsfleet in Kent. The MP for Bexleyheath and Crayford thinks it would be a rather good idea. First things first, Sir David. Let鈥檚 get the bit that was supposed to be open by now, erm, open.
On the breadline
Any reader who has ever consumed a sub-par sandwich at Heathrow should spare a thought for members of its Integrated Design Team who face the same uninspiring fare week in, week out. 鈥淗eathrow has the worst sandwiches,鈥� laments Grimshaw鈥檚 Jolyon Brewis. When they鈥檙e not at Heathrow, many of the team relocate to one another鈥檚 offices. One of the advantages of working in a group with seven other firms, jokes Arup鈥檚 Richard de Cani, is being able 鈥渢o taste each other鈥檚 refreshments, who has got the best food鈥�. Good to see competition is still alive and well in the construction industry.
Whose shout is it?
One of my team found himself battling the background hubbub as he spoke to a contractor over the phone one afternoon last week. 鈥淚t sounds like you鈥檙e in a pub,鈥� my hack said. 鈥淎scot,鈥� came the breezy reply. Isn鈥檛 that the same thing?
Walk this way
Construction sometimes gets a bad rap when it comes to being considerate to the public, but one of my hacks was tickled by this show of it. At a Bellway project in Chelmsford, Essex, a sign kindly warned pedestrians to avoid a very small fenced-off area in a very wide walkway. So well done for the show of consideration. Even if it was a bit unnecessary 鈥�
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