好色先生TV

Going with the flow

Aecom and Stage One have begun work to build Mexican architect Frida Escobedo鈥檚 Serpentine Pavilion in London鈥檚 Kensington Gardens. Featuring an ornamental pool and mirrored canopy, it has those behind it gushing: 鈥淎s the sun moves across the sky, reflected and refracted by these features, visitors may feel a heightened awareness of time spent in play, improvisation and contemplation over the summer months.鈥� I鈥檓 planning on visiting, so I鈥檒l let them know.

From a great height

One of my hacks was at an event to mark New London Architecture鈥檚 latest tall buildings survey and one of the speakers, Gordon Ingram from visualisation firm Vu.City, began his presentation with 3D computer imaging of what London might look like in the future and a rather profound quote: 鈥淲ith great power comes great responsibility. That鈥檚 a quote from Spider-Man. A lover of tall buildings.鈥� I鈥檓 sorry, Gordon, but my rather brainy hack tells me it was French philosopher Voltaire who got there first with that one.

Illiquid refreshment

A friend of mine who is owed 拢1,000 by Connaught, the social housing firm that went under more than seven years ago leaving creditors out of pocket by 拢250m, has been sent the latest annual bulletin on the whole sorry mess by liquidators KPMG. Imagine his delight to read that the firm鈥檚 partners charge an hourly rate of 拢835 for their services. Support staff 鈥� presumably the people who bunged him the update in the post letting him know he鈥檇 get nothing back 鈥� charge 拢142 an hour. He鈥檚 in a line of business that charges 拢75 an hour. 鈥淚 think I鈥檓 doing something wrong,鈥� he adds, mournfully.

What鈥檚 in a name?

Call me old-fashioned but I like a logo on a site hoarding, helps one know who鈥檚 doing what. Back when Goldman Sachs was building a massive groundscraper on Farringdon Road, there wasn鈥檛 a logo of the US investment bank in sight nor that of main contractor  Multiplex, but just the puzzling label 鈥淟ondon Development Company鈥�. At least Lendlease has its logo up in King鈥檚 Cross 鈥� though the casual observer won鈥檛 have the foggiest why. The site its name towers over is the new Google HQ it is building. Not that you鈥檇 know, as there is nothing to say what is going on behind the miles of hoardings 鈥� though the eagle-eyed may spot that the site is called KGX1. I suppose this moniker makes it easier to, er, Google.

Not looking good

A colleague was at last week鈥檚 housing design policy conference and was on hand to see housing minister Dominic Raab strap on a virtual reality headset and take a tour of a house, opening doors, walking up stairs and so on. An enthusiastic Raab asked if he could jump into the swimming pool he thought he saw, only to be told it was actually a road. Either the minister鈥檚 eyesight needs testing or the graphics need a bit of working on.

Shoot!

Discussing succession plans with Buro Four chair Iain Roberts, a colleague tells me talk turned to Ars猫ne Wenger, who is soon to step down after 22 years as Arsenal FC manager. Roberts has been at the consultant even longer 鈥� 31 years 鈥� but despite it being based deep in Arsenal territory at Islington, Roberts is a fan of West Brom 鈥� whose idea of succession planning has stretched to four club managers so far this season. It鈥檚 fair to say Buro Four won鈥檛 be taking any tips from the Baggies on how to complete orderly handovers.