It has emerged that Westminster council’s official in charge of MVRDV’s disastrous Marble Arch Mound project was on £220,000 a year, a salary higher than the £217,545 paid to the local authority’s chief executive.

Elad Eisenstein, who trained as an architect and urban designer but is not Arb-registered, oversaw the much-derided temporary structure aimed at drawing shoppers back to Oxford Street after the pandemic. It is due to close on Sunday and its deconstruction is expected to start on January 18.

Eisenstein, who was the Oxford Street District programme director for Westminster council before his recent departure, studied and taught at the AA and has been a director at Mecanoo, Arup and Ramboll. He is also a member of the mayor of London’s infrastructure advisory panel.

…