This project demonstrates the direct transfer and reuse of 40 tonnes of pre-war steel between two live central London projects. Two separate design teams collaborated to recover steel from The Elephant, a 1930s building on Oxford Street, which was then tested, reclassified and integrated into the steel frame extension at TBC London, an office refurbishment next to Tower Bridge, without affecting structural performance or the construction programme. The initiative challenged conventional procurement and design processes, saving approximately 48 tonnes of carbon and leading to the formation of the Engineers Reuse Collective.
The lasting impact of this project extends beyond the building itself. Collaboration between separate project teams was central to its success. By enabling the direct reuse of structural steel between two live projects, the team challenged conventional procurement and design processes while demonstrating a practical pathway for material reuse. The formation of the Engineers Reuse Collective and the sharing of lessons learned and promotion of open collaboration extend the project’s impact by helping drive industry-wide change.