星空传媒

鈥淕ood afternoon and welcome to another exciting round of construction hurdles. The two competitors today started their careers as millennium projects?鈥� 鈥淭hat鈥檚 right, Brian, both in honour of the three big zeros.鈥�

鈥淎nd it looks like being an exciting race, Brian, although I don鈥檛 think the result鈥檚 really in much doubt. Here鈥檚 the line-up 鈥� It鈥檚 Lord Foster鈥檚 Millennium Tower and Marks Barfield鈥檚 Millennium Wheel.鈥� 鈥淚 know which my money鈥檚 on, Brian. A landmark project for a graceful 385 m tower in the heart of the City designed by a superstar architect with a two-year head-start versus 鈥� a Ferris wheel. By two outsiders. In a World Heritage site. On land they don鈥檛 own.鈥�

鈥淭hat鈥檚 certainly a lot of hurdles. And they鈥檙e off 鈥︹�� 鈥淲ell, the wheel鈥檚 hardly moving 鈥� no funding, no planning permission鈥�

鈥淥h my God! the tower鈥檚 fallen at the first hurdle! 鈥楾oo tall and too bulky,鈥� says English Heritage. It鈥檚 back to the drawing board for Foster.鈥� 鈥淏ut no 鈥� it鈥檚 back 鈥� but now it鈥檚 got nothing to do with the millennium! It鈥檚 the Swiss Re headquarters, and it鈥檚 only 180 m high.鈥�

鈥淎nd a rather peculiar gherkin shape, reminds me of a 鈥︹�� 鈥淪orry to interrupt Brian but the wheel鈥檚 on a roll! It鈥檚 got funding from BA, a new name and steel suppliers. But planning permission may prove to be a problem.鈥� 鈥淣o, Brian, it鈥檚 cleared that hurdle easily by dropping 15 m and ducking under it. And it hasn鈥檛 been called in. Only construction left now 鈥︹�� 鈥淟ook at that! The Baltic Exchange is calling for an inquiry! It says Foster鈥檚 gherkin breaks some sort of deal it had with Kvaerner! The tower鈥檚 really in trouble now 鈥︹��

鈥淭alking of gherkins, the wheel鈥檚 having a bit of an erection problem 鈥� They鈥檙e going to have to go back to try that hurdle again 鈥� And they鈥檝e done it! It鈥檚 up, and it looks like it might make it for December!鈥� 鈥淣o chance of the gherkin going up before then 鈥︹�� 鈥淎nd the wheel鈥檚 heading for the last hurdle 鈥� Will it turn when Tone pulls the switch?鈥� 鈥淥h, dear 鈥� A stumble at the last hurdle there 鈥� But it鈥檚 made it, it鈥檚 up and running, with the gherkin only just getting planning permission. It鈥檚 an easy win.鈥� 鈥淨uite remarkable.鈥�