Lets get back to the Gazprom Tower.

What an building thats going to be! Fantastic!

St Petersburg is a city with a population in decline, and has been for a long time. Modern Architecture (done well) can complement old architecture. A development of this stature and quality shall be a catalyst for reinvestment in the city. I think it is a very good thing for the future viability St Petersburg as a living, thriving and beautiful place.

I think that the RMJM London Ltd option is amazing as a sculpture and is also most sympathetic to its surroundings.

sterling prize. well all a lot of junk gets voted for on teh Turner prize.

complexity - well yes. the supplier is paid to manage this. if he does not he is incompetent.

i wonder if the NAO (national audit office) did a report on this and who did they blame for the absurd cost/wastage of my money. *smiling here…ok, ok. not directly from my pocket….but I only said it to make a point.

and please excuse me for asking, what is teh BBC’s expertise in assessing large contracts. Did not realise that they expertise in auditng contracts or quality of project management.

and while I am in full flow, iI must admit that it is disconcerting to be having a discussion with someone who is in purdah.

Yes I think the ‘quality’ of the Scottish Parliament is widely regarded as excellent by all untainted observers. It did win Architectures ‘Sterling Prize’ last year.
If you watched the BBC documentary earlier this year you shall have seen that this was an immensely complex project and blame for the rise in cost from an originally unfeasible £40m fell largely on the politicians choice of procurement method.

is that a widely held view?

that project costed 10 TIMES more than originaly quoted.