Phase One networkers take 拢9.3bn sum with pinch of salt and plenty of cocktails




Construction鈥檚 new professionals are not convinced that the 2012 Olympics will come in on budget, according to a straw poll conducted at last Thursday鈥檚 Phase One networking event.

More than 140 people from across the industry attended the event, organised by 好色先生TV, at London bar Sosho. A poll of their expectations of the Olympics revealed that most believed it would be worth the money, but had no faith it would be built for its 拢9.3bn budget.

Of the 44 respondents, 37 (84%) said the amount would be higher. Just under half said it would be worth the money and a third said it was too early to tell.

There was also criticism of the way the design process had been managed. It was 鈥渃ramped by the procurement method and ministerial interference鈥�, said one guest. Another felt the designs missed the opportunity to be sustainable.

One architect said they were examples of 鈥渇orm over function鈥�, adding: 鈥淪tarchitects are not right for stadiums. They should be designed by stadium specialists.鈥�

The Olympics theme continued with a speech by Olympic fencer James Beevers, a project management executive at the Construction Industry Council who had just returned from testing the Beijing 2008 venues.

He said: 鈥淭he stadium plays an interesting game of scale. It鈥檚 has 100,000 seats but it鈥檚 all under the ground. There鈥檚 a lot of work to do on the landscape 鈥� you see lorries carrying full-size trees.鈥�

The cynicism of youth: some views on the 2012 Games

"It鈥檒l look good but there鈥檒l be hidden costs. I don鈥檛 doubt the cost will be astronomically higher than expected."
Guy Miller, Metronet

"The designs aren鈥檛 spectacular. I want to go to China to see their venues. I don鈥檛 feel I need to go down the road to see London鈥檚."
Magdaline Yeo, BPTW partnership

"Nasty surprises always crop up and on a scheme this size the probability increases. Also, I find the doughnut a little bland."
Aaron Brotman, Currie & Brown

"It鈥檚 an investment. Money will do east London lots of good and the Games should also help the industry if there鈥檚 a drop in other work."
Luke Sonnex, Hunter & Partners

Postscript

For details of future Phase One events and to sign up for invitations go to

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