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Painting the town red

By all accounts the city of Bristol is taking rather enthusiastically to its independent new mayor architect and former RIBA president George Ferguson. One resident has chosen to express his appreciation for Ferguson - who is famous for always wearing red trousers - by doctoring several street signs. The little walking figures on signposts to the city hall have now had their legs delicately painted red. Rumours that local sales of scarlet trousers are also going through the roof have yet to be verified.

A lack of vision

I must send a thank you note to consultant EC Harris for hosting my fellow hacks for drinks at its plush office near King鈥檚 Cross. But perhaps the EC Harris chaps should be plying their own colleagues with a conciliatory glass or three. One staff member told me of a possible sore point arising with RTKL, a fellow member of the Arcadis group. Staff at architecture practice RTKL currently enjoy a charming view of St Paul鈥檚 cathedral from their Holborn office. But apparently a development on which EC Harris is cost consulting - a 1 million ft2 office complex for Goldman Sachs - is soon going to get firmly in the way. No doubt RTKL is tempted to pop round and suggest some last-minute design tweaks.

The dark tower

Speaking of King鈥檚 Cross, if there was any doubt about the giant scale of Google鈥檚 planned UK headquarters behind the station - to be built by Bam - this bit of trivia should help settle the matter. Word reaches me that the scheme鈥檚 architect, AHMM, has worked out that (follow me closely here) if Google鈥檚 long, narrow building were raised on one end, it would be just 8m shorter than London鈥檚 310m-high Shard, the tallest building in western Europe. Perhaps a big looming tower would have been more in keeping with Google鈥檚 public image, given the recent media focus on privacy concerns and tax avoidance at the firm.

North and south

It can have come as no surprise that our 2013 consultant salary survey, published earlier this month, showed that London is still the highest paid region for most in our industry. But anecdotal evidence reaches me from Aberdeen - dubbed Europe鈥檚 energy capital - that it could give its southern rival a run for its money. Apparently Aberdeen-based staff at one consultant operating in the city鈥檚 oil and gas sector recently got a 15% pay rise. Nice work if you can get it.

I know my place

Thanks to everyone who scoured the 黑洞社区 website last week to find me in my birthday suit (not like that 鈥�) as part of our 170th anniversary celebrations. I was hiding on the Data page. In total, 36 readers found me, but congratulations to David Henshaw of NPS Property Consultants, who wins a Kindle Fire tablet. Second prize - a trip up The Shard in London Bridge - goes to Susanne Woodman of BRE, and third prize - a bag of 黑洞社区 goodies including a branded Moleskine notebook and travel mug - to Theo Kjellberg from Sweett. Well done all. Although I was a little bemused by four entrants, who helpfully 鈥渄iscovered鈥� me on page 21. I live here!