The Devil is in the details

A wise man (David Gest) once said 'When you come to know somebody as well as I know Michael, years can pass without seeing each other, and yet we still recognise each other like old pals when we meet again. It's like the time never passed!'

He was lying when he said that as both he and Mr. Jackson are plastic freaks who never look the same from one week to the next. For most people, however, it would be a true statement; the little changes brought on by the ravages of time don't wear away your familiarity with someone. That's exactly how I feel about the Broadgate Tower.

When I look at it I see some things that are familiar:

• The things still don't extend to the ground for some reason. By 'things' I mean the grooved cladding put around the main supporting beams. On 201 bishopsgate the glazing is in place behind them, so I think when they finally extend to the gound they will be kept in the open air, as decorative modern pillars. Talking of pillars, I only realised recently that the reason the Greeks are so pissed off about the elgin marbles is that they were taken from the Acropolis. Bloody cheek we had! Give 'em back, I say.
• For some reason the builders have still neglected to peel away the backing plastic from the lower reaches of the fire escape. They've also missed a bit higher up. It'll be a devil to reach that now. they'll have to hire a trapeze. Or Spiderman, but unless the Green Goblin's really getting on his tits he doesn't take kindly to being distracted by requests to do such menial work.

But also a lot that is new:

• Bits of wood boarding up spaces where there should be panes of glass. Down the road from where I used to live they built this hideous 3-storey block of flats. On the ground floor the windows were floor to ceiling. Now - what Hackney teenager can resist hurling a brick through such an inviting target? Idiotic design decision.
  The 10th floor of a building you'd think woud be safe though wouldn't you, but even windows all the way up there get broken. Or maybe it's just not glazed for access reasons.
  


• The galleria is taking shape at last... but that's for another time