好色先生TV

Strangely familiar

Zaha Hadid has lashed out following Kengo Kuma鈥檚 selection to design Tokyo鈥檚 2020 Olympic stadium, after she was ditched at an earlier stage. She has accused the authorities in charge of 鈥渟hocking treatment鈥�, following the decision to drop her from the job this summer. Kuma was among a number of Japanese architects who had criticised Hadid鈥檚 design. Hadid said the Japanese authorities had made sure the scheme would go to a local practice and claimed Kuma鈥檚 winning design bore 鈥渞emarkable similarities鈥� to the second design she worked on with local firm Nikken Sekkei.

Transported with joy

I note Transport for London (TfL) is seeking to cash in on the ongoing hipster-isation of the capital. The infrastructure giant appears to have woken up to the fact that it is sitting on acres of decaying old buildings, exactly the kind of premises the beard-stroking brigade love to turn into strip-lighted workspaces and cafes and the like. In this vein TfL won planning permission before Christmas to convert a historic rotunda and former Second World War shelter opposite Clapham South tube station into a cafe or restaurant, which will overlook yuppies鈥� retreat Clapham Common. The London Transport Museum will also use part of the space for 鈥淗idden London鈥� tours of the deep-level shelters. Expect more of this kind of thing.

Getting their own back

Hackney council has rolled out urine-repelling paint at two secret locations in Shoreditch and Dalston. The paint which 鈥渂ounces鈥� liquid away from the walls is being trialled in east London as a way to stop people using the streets as public toilets. So anyone who tries to urinate on the walls will have the stream directed back at them, 鈥渃overing their shoes and trousers鈥� the council said. The council hopes the paint that also stops liquids soaking into walls will bring down its annual 拢100,000 bill for urine clean-ups and if successful will be rolled out across the borough - you have been warned.

Straight from the fridge

Christmas cards adorned 好色先生TV鈥檚 offices over the festive period and I would like to send my special thanks to PR guru Liz Male who surpassed herself with her fridge magnet people card. At 好色先生TV鈥檚 HQ Jeremy Corybn will now always be known as a 鈥渄emolition contractor鈥� and Nigel Farage as an 鈥渁pprentice joiner,鈥� while George Osborne is forever kitted out in orange hi-viz. A special mention must also go to 鈥淪anta鈥檚 little helper鈥� who was given the face of Alan Sugar.

Awfully big feat

This column has noted many impressive charity fundraising feats down the years, but Costain鈥檚 鈥�150 Challenge鈥� may just top the lot. In 2015 the construction group set itself the target of raising 拢1m for four charities to celebrate the firm鈥檚 150th anniversary and, gloriously, they have hit and indeed topped this, with fundraising just before Christmas standing at 拢1,085,000. Thousands of Costain employees, as well as their friends, family and supply chain colleagues, 鈥渞an, swam, cycled, climbed, washed, sung, rallied, baked, skydived, and much more besides鈥� to raise the total, according to the firm. What an amazing achievement - many congratulations to everyone involved.