Reimagining the City: Lessons in Sustainability from TBC.London 

At Willmott Dixon, we believe the future of construction is about reimagining, not just rebuilding. TBC London is a perfect example of that philosophy in action: a landmark retrofit that transforms an outdated 1980s office block into a modern, sustainable, net-zero-ready workspace — without demolishing and starting over.

Located alongside Tower Bridge and the Grade II listed Pump House Museum, this project challenged us to blend adaptive reuse, circular economy principles, and cutting-edge sustainability accreditations on a tight urban site. For me and the team, it was a masterclass in how sustainability, innovation, and flexibility can reshape our cities for the better.

Adaptive reuse: why demolition isn’t always the answer

Traditionally, an aging building like TBC.London would face the wrecking ball. But the customer, Fore Partnership, had a bigger vision:

• Retain the existing concrete frame to preserve embodied carbon
• Remove redundant floors and cores while adding new circulation and usable space
• Reposition the stairwells from river-facing to the building’s centre, unlocking better tenant views and higher value

This approach delivered major environmental benefits by conserving materials — but it also brought challenges, from structural complexity to the logistics of working within a live, constrained city centre.

Biggest lessons learned

Plan early — and then plan again

From the outset, we knew the site was tight — hemmed in by Tower Bridge Road on one side and Horselydown Lane on the other, with two different councils to coordinate (City of London and Southwark).

We initially planned to split logistics across both roads — only to discover mid-project that an 18-tonne weight restriction on Tower Bridge Road required a complete rethink. Thanks to strong site management and rapid problem-solving, led by our construction manager Tony Dowling, we adapted without major delays — but it underscored the importance of resilient, flexible planning.

Be fearless about innovation — but start early

One of the most groundbreaking aspects of the project was recycling steel from the Oxford Street House of Fraser demolition — one of the first times reused steel was deployed in a UK commercial building.

To make it work, we:

• Conducted stringent material testing, especially for pre-1970s steel
• Worked closely with structural engineers and supply chain to ensure compliance
• Partnered with Cleveland Steel to source reclaimed materials for the remainder of the job

The key takeaway? Innovation is brilliant — but it works best when it’s embedded at the design stage, not added halfway through.

Use smart technology to track sustainability impact

We deployed an innovative system from Qflow to scan every delivery and waste ticket, using AI to track material provenance, carbon impact, and potential reporting errors.

This system:

• Automatically generated weekly carbon reports
• Reduced manual data entry for the site team
• Improved supply chain accountability

For us, the investment in technology paid off by improving both environmental outcomes and site efficiency — a win-win.

Understand that design changes ripple further than you think

Midway through the project, we were required to relocate the building’s transformer room — a major design shift. While the immediate program impact was estimated at six weeks, the deeper consequence was an intense, prolonged workload on the design management team.

Lesson learned: when calculating delays, factor in the invisible work of redesign, not just the physical programme impact.

Prioritise people, relationships, and communication

In a complex, urban, retrofit environment, collaboration is everything. Some key cultural practices we used included:

• Keeping the customer close: Regular, open communication with Fore Partnership helped us navigate fast-moving design and sustainability changes
• Co-locating the supply chain: We learned the value of shared office space and informal problem-solving
• Investing in team culture: Even in a high-pressure environment, time spent on relationship-building pays dividends when challenges arise

As I often say, the construction industry runs on people, not just concrete and steel — and the stronger your relationships, the better you can handle surprises.

Sustainability outcomes we’re proud of

• Retained concrete frame, reused cores, and recycled steel → Major reductions in embodied carbon
• Accreditations pursued:

1. BREEAM
2. WELL (wellbeing-focused design)
3. WiredScore Platinum (connectivity)
4. ActiveScore Platinum (sustainable travel and access)
5. NABERS UK (in-use energy performance, futureproofed)
6. Circular economy leadership: Demonstrating that adaptive reuse can work at scale and in prime city locations

Final reflections

For me and the team (below), TBC London is more than just a project — it’s a blueprint for the future. As more developers and customers pivot toward retrofit, adaptive reuse, and low-carbon design, the lessons from this project will help us deliver even greater environmental, social, and commercial value.

Our cities are full of untapped potential — and at Willmott Dixon, we’re ready to lead the charge in turning yesterday’s buildings into tomorrow’s landmarks.