TBC London

The project’s position on a prominent London site south of the river and directly opposite St Katharine Docks and the Tower of London required a landmark scheme that complements the diverse mix of new and historical surrounding buildings.

The existing concrete frame has been retained, while the rest of the building has been completely stripped, incorporating a new façade that relates better to the surrounding context. Full height windows to the north take advantage of views to the river and maximise natural daylight penetration. The glazed atrium has been extended, additional storeys added, and the stair and lift core relocated to allow flexible floor plans. Along Tower Bridge Road and Horselydown Lane, the ground and first floors have been opened up to create a more active and welcoming frontage.

In an unprecedented and award-winning collaboration across two design teams, we achieved significant embodied carbon savings through the reclamation of 20 tonnes of steel. Our team undertook rigorous testing of the 1930s steel, salvaged from the former House of Fraser store on Oxford Street, and developed the structural design accordingly. The approach saved approximately 48 tonnes of carbon compared to using new steelwork. Around 20 percent of the total steel used on the project was reclaimed, with the remainder made up of steel containing at least 56 percent recycled content. The project’s overall embodied carbon came in below 300kgCO₂e/m², exceeding current LETI benchmarks.

The development is fully electric and on track to achieve at least a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, contributing to the client’s broader net zero ambitions.

This is one of the first commercial buildings in the UK to demonstrate large-scale steel reuse in practice, setting a benchmark for low-carbon retrofit through inventive structural design and close collaboration.