One can agree with one take on the Wembley debacle, where the client has finally seen sense and admitted it won't be finished, that the end product is what matters rather than short-term difficulties.

But only to a point. This view was taken by former heritage minister David Mellor, who pointed to the Millennium Bridge as a prime example of how quickly opinions can change. The bridge (also designed by Norman Foster) was seen as a laughing stock when opened but is now regarded as a modern masterpiece. This may be a fair stance for the general public but definitely not for the industry.

The longer we wed ourselves to the classic cock-up construction principles of underestimate first then subsequently watch as costs and delays multiply, the longer the large rump of the sector will remain in the Dark Ages. For that, everyone, from clients through to consultants and contractors, has a share of the blame and a duty to try and move mindsets. Why can't a product be good AND the process getting there be a smooth one? Are we asking too much?

Lessons from the past

It's a fascinating exercise to cast a glance back at the roots of the profession by finding out just who those founding names of QSing were. It shows a profession firmly rooted in architecture, with figures such as Cyril Sweett being at the hub of the modernist architecture movement (see page 10).

Times have changed in the intervening century but with many in the industry calling for more collaboration in the sector there are valuable lessons to be learnt from the forerunners of the profession for our current generation. Not necessarily that design and cost advice should be combined but that the close interplay of the two can make for better final products.

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QS News