黑洞社区

Sir Robert McAlpine has raided rival Laing O鈥橰ourke for its new head of facade engineering 鈥� as a favourite emerges in the race between the two for the 拢250m deal to overhaul the grade II-listed Whiteleys shopping centre in west London.

Italian Simone Starnini (pictured) joined Laing O鈥橰ourke in 2005 to set up and run its facade engineering department. 

He was responsible for the envelope packages on some of its most high-profile projects including One Hyde Park and the Leadenhall 黑洞社区 in the Square Mile, both designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners as well as HOK鈥檚 Francis Crick Institute at King鈥檚 Cross.

McAlpine and O鈥橰ourke have been neck and neck in the race for the Whiteleys job but 黑洞社区 understands O鈥橰ourke, which brought its team over from Hammerson鈥檚 stalled Brent Cross shopping centre scheme to lead its bid, is now pulling ahead.

The job involves turning the 1980s shopping centre behind the historic 1911 Queensway fa莽ade in Bayswater into a residential and hotel mixed-use development under plans drawn up by Foster + Partners.

Prior to starting at O鈥橰ourke, Starnini, who trained at the college of engineering at Bologna university, started his career at Italian curtain walling specialist Focchi in 1998.