Marble Arch Mound: Deputy leader of London council behind MVRDV-designed attraction resigns due to soaring costs

The deputy leader of a London council responsible for the ballooning costs of the Marble Arch Mound has resigned. Melvyn Caplan stepped down immediately after total costs nearly doubled to £6m, up from a forecast of £3.3m. Ticketholders were offered refunds for the artificial viewing platform which temporarily closed within two days of opening on 26 July.The Westminster City Council, the park’s operator, has said that a review to “understand what went wrong and ensure it never happens again,” is underway.  The MVRDV-designed attraction is now free to visit for the month of August after its plants and grass began to die.  In a statement, council leader Rachael Robathan labeled the rise in costs “totally unacceptable” and expressed regret over her deputy’s resignation.  Previously on Archinect: MVRDV’s Marble Arch Mound is a magnet for public criticism“Doing nothing was never an option,” she said. “So when the mound fully reopens in September, I hope that people will come and see it for themselves. The mound may delight or divide views and that's OK, but we're confident that in the end, it will fulfil its original brief — to get people back into the West End and remind them of why this is a world-class city.”