Workers dismantling the Marble Arch Mound
(Picture: Jeremy Selwyn)The architect behind the Marble Arch Mound has slammed Westminster Council for its “loveless execution” of the project and said it should’ve walked away.
The attraction, which was met with widespread mockery, cost £6m and led to the resignation of the council’s deputy leader.
Rotterdam-based firm MVRDV said it had never before seen “such nonchalance and laxity with our design work” in its 30 years of operation.
In a blog setting out its side of the story, the firm said there was an “inexplicable budget increase of almost £5 million for which we never received an adequate explanation” from council officials.
“Warnings from our side about a possible premature opening were ignored, as were press requests from quality newspapers to visit the installation,” said the firm.
“The Marble Arch Mound was opened while still unfinished, and London was aware.
“Visitors who paid £8 the first weekend were so insulted by the experience that they rightfully complained via social media”.
It added that “through a mixture of budget constraints and a lack of communication, many details concerning the mound’s construction were decided without our involvement.”
The firm said it should have walked away from the project at that point.
A Westminster City Council spokesperson said the council was grateful to MVRDV for its “hard work” and that their work along with the construction firm FM Conway had meant “The Mound has done what it was built to do - drawn crowds and supported the recovery in the West End.”
The spokesperson said: “MVRDV’s unique, creative concept helped to ensure that over 250,000 visitors came to Westminster to see The Mound and the terrific light exhibition inside.
“Those visitors have gone on to spend money in shops, bars and restaurants across the West End – helping local businesses to get back on their feet.”
A damning report released last year into what was dubbed “London’s worst” tourist attraction found that senior executives at the local authority covered up major warnings of the spiralling cost of the project.
Leaders in charge of the troubled attraction hid “critical” information from cabinet members and overestimated how much the mound would make in ticket sales, the review discovered.
