Exclusive: Switch follows moves by Aecom directors to G&T, and three more major wins for G&T on King鈥檚 Cross scheme
Aecom has been replaced by Gardiner & Theobald as cost consultant on Google鈥檚 拢300m UK headquarters in King鈥檚 Cross, London.
黑洞社区 understands the switch happened in the past few months, after senior staff at the former Davis Langdon business within Aecom working on King鈥檚 Cross moved to Gardiner & Theobald (G&T). These include directors Alex Davey, Jon Eyles and David Elsmore - who was Davis Langdon鈥檚 lead on the Google job.
It is understood that further members of Aecom鈥檚 King鈥檚 Cross team have followed Davey, who joined G&T in June. Aecom now has a smaller role consulting on infrastructure for the Google project, 黑洞社区 understands.
黑洞社区 revealed in April that Davis Langdon won the role of cost consultant on Google鈥檚 1 million ft2 AHMM-designed UK headquarters, where Argent is development manager.
Aecom鈥檚 global head of buildings and places Jason Prior described the Google project at the time as an 鈥渋mportant one鈥� to win.
The changes come amid success for G&T with developer Argent on the wider 拢2bn regeneration of King鈥檚 Cross.
黑洞社区 understands G&T has won Argent鈥檚 last three major cost consultancy tenders on the project, including its gasholders residential project, as well as both of the two buildings on the planned Aga Khan cultural centre.
One source close to King鈥檚 Cross said Argent was shifting its attention from the former Davis Langdon business - which has worked with Argent on King鈥檚 Cross since the inception of its masterplan in 2001 - to G&T.
The source said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a big move as traditionally DL was seen as Argent鈥檚 QS.鈥�
Argent has up to 拢1bn worth of construction work at King鈥檚 Cross still in the pipeline, around half of the total 拢2bn development (see box, below).
The former Davis Langdon business has provided multiple services on the entire scheme including cost management, employer鈥檚 agent, programme and project management and worked on individual projects including the Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design鈥檚 campus and Granary Square.
Another source close to King鈥檚 Cross said Argent was still working with Aecom on six projects across the wider scheme.
An Aecom spokesperson declined to specify what roles it still had on the project or which staff had moved across to G&T. The spokesperson said: 鈥淎ecom works with Argent on a number of projects and across a number of disciplines at King鈥檚 Cross. Aecom is also working with Google at King鈥檚 Cross.鈥�
A G&T spokesperson declined to comment, other than to confirm that it had been working with King鈥檚 Cross Central Limited Partnership for over 18 months.
Argent declined to comment. Google was unavailable for comment.
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