Steelwork from an old Oxford Street department store is being reused in an office retrofit project elsewhere in London.
Up to 100 tonnes of 1930s steel beams salvaged during the redevelopment of the former House of Fraser building in Oxford is going into Tower Bridge Court, also known as TBC London.
The 100 tonne target will make up 20% of the total steel to be used at TBC London, which is the largest quantity of reclaimed steel ever used, and the largest percentage of a structure ever constructed with reclaimed material, it is being claimed.
Willmott Dixon has a £50m contract to transform the five storey 1990s office building next to Tower Bridge for property developer Fore Partnership.
The deal to reuse steel from House of Fraser was conceived between Fore and its consultants, Civic Engineers.
Civic Engineers liaised with McLaren Construction, contractor on the House of Fraser refurbishment, to support the proposal. Webb Yates, the engineer appointed to TBC London, ensured there was a smooth transition for using the recycled materials in the Thames-side design, and will work with Wilmott Dixon to incorporate the beams.
Civic Engineers director Gareth Atkinson said: “It’s exciting working with clients and collaborators with this much vision. We’ve proved it isn’t ‘too difficult’. These types of deals can and should be brokered time and time again.”
TBC London is on-site and scheduled for completion in 2024.
