Hiring Goodwin was stupid, a PR nightmare, says ex-RMJM architect
Will Alsop pictured with Peter Morrison, group CEO of RMJM
WILL Alsop – the “star” architect who was hired by RMJM in 2009 and quit last year – has spoken out about his two years working at the firm, branding the decision to hire Fred Goodwin “stupid”.
Mr Alsop, who joined the Scottish practice in October 2009 – running the “Will Alsop at RMJM” arm from the Edinburgh-based company’s London studio – quit last August to form a new company. The architect, who was hired from rival Archial and is best-known for his Stirling Prize-winning design for Peckham library in south London and for his masterplans for Barnsley and Bradford, has hit out at RMJM for its business-heavy model.
He claimed that the incarnation of the company created by chief executive Peter Morrison and his father, Sir Fraser Morrison – neither of whom is an architect – had become detached from the creative practice of designing buildings. The firm, which employs about 700 architects worldwide – down from more than 1,000 in its heyday three years ago – was involved in the design of the Scottish Parliament and also created the Falkirk Wheel.
“I was really caught in a corporate wasteland and that didn’t suit me,” he said. “The board didn’t have any architects. They were all about building up a business and supposed world domination. I wanted to be independent again.”
He added: “We have all got into that mode of a corporate takeover and growing through acquisition at an alarming rate. What we end up with is fewer and fewer larger and larger companies, which are not focused on what architects really do.”
More redundancies were announced at the firm’s Scottish operations last month, with the 120 workers in the Edinburgh and Glasgow offices told that about ten of them were likely to lose their jobs.
“RMJM is a good practice, but some of the things they did and the actions they took, I didn’t understand,” Mr Alsop added.
Mr Alsop’s hiring in 2009 came just weeks before it was announced that former Royal Bank of Scotland chief executive Mr Goodwin would also be taken on – as a consultant on a reputed six-figure salary.
“I was surprised when they appointed Fred Goodwin,” said Mr Alsop. “It was a PR nightmare, just stupid.
“I have nothing against Fred – on the few occasions I met him, I thought he was a clever, switched-on guy. But what didn’t make sense to me was why on earth a practice with its HQ in Scotland would want to take on someone who was the most hated man in Scotland. It made no sense.”
Scotland’s professional architecture body, the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS), has also raised questions about the company’s business model.
Although it employs creative professional architects, in recent years, the company has also taken on high-profile non-architectural names as “business advisers” – the best-known being Mr Goodwin.
Neil Baxter, spokesman for RIAS, said: “Historically, leading architecture practices like RMJM were led by leading architects.”
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Comments
There are 28 comments to this article
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nirmeth
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 04:18 PMDear moderators, You can remove my post again if you wish however it contained nothing that was not documented and citable fact. 1: Wil Alsop has damaged every company he has worked with or owned. 2; He has severe alcohol issues which severely affected his employment with RMJM. 3: That photo *has* been photoshopped to remove a wine glass. And you *can* google him and spot many others. And FYI, that photo also belongs to RMJM. I doubt very highly that you have asked for permission to use it.
vistaero
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 08:48 PMWell Will Alsop looks like he has been photographed in his pajamas, also he is obese, and looks as if he has just woken up from sleeping in the gutter, and he looks STUPID.
langtounlass
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 05:25 PMThe 2 guys on the photo look like characters from The Fast Show - esp the one on the right. Would you buy a used car from them? I think not.
vistaero
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 04:29 PM21 Calgacus Cowboys are more common in the Board Rooms of British Companies, and even more common on the REMUNERATION COMMITTEES of Banks and British PLC Companies.
vistaero
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 04:26 PMComment removed by moderator
vistaero
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 04:23 PMYes it was stupid, but that is the quality of the British Executives. STUPIDITY is one of the prerequisites to become an Executive in the UK. One stupid Executive employees other stupid Executives that are his or her friends, that is why our Banks and Companies are in such a disastrous state. One thing is certain in the UK, if you have Bankrupted a company you will have no difficulty in getting one of your friends that is a stupid Executive to hire you, it is called the OLD PALS CLUB, which looks after incompetent brain dead redundant Executives.
The Lord
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 03:12 PMDan Parks is looking for a job - the second most "hated man" in Scotland
Calgacas
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 02:19 PMButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid comes to mind. Off course, cowboys are quite common in the construction industry.
aberdingdong
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:59 PMNo brainer. even if Fred the Shred is a lovely guy in his own life...what idiot thought that hiring him at that point would be a good move? Damaged goods...again....total no brainer.
Greenloaning view
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:47 PMMust agree with #16 Wonder if tax man ever investigated that before the construction firm was sold many employees could be found working doing up the Morrison pads. Tax evasion rather than avoidance....me thinks!
Account deleted
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:43 PMThis isnt a news story is it lets be honest.
Willie Boy
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:28 PMCorrection to #16. Sir Fraser Morrison retains his knighthood.
Willie Boy
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:27 PM(Sir) Fred Goodwin and Fraser Morrison are birds of a feather. After Morrison sold his construction company to Anglian Water, he was thereafter sued for tens of millions of pounds said to be due because the books of his business had been misrepresented. And now with Sir Fraser and his son running RMJM it seems that the insolvency service is now looking into the books of that company. And (Sir) Fred, well he knows a thing or two about cooked books. Yes, birds of a feather it would seem.
Captain Fantastic
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:14 PMComment removed by moderator
Sally Longlegs
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 11:29 AMWorld domination? Sounds like the RBS business model. Surely Peter Morrison should have had more scence than to hire the shred after the banking debacle. But then again Peter was trained at Sandhurst. That well known training establishment for bankers and city gents. But then again perhaps he was told to by the real boss.
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