More than 8,500 light fittings have been recovered during the strip-out of a major City of London office redevelopment, as part of a wider programme that has diverted more than 700 tonnes of building materials from disposal.
The work was carried out at 75 London Wall, formerly Winchester House and the London headquarters of Deutsche Bank, which is being transformed into a new office and cultural destination by developers Castleforge and Gamuda, with Orms as architect.
The project team adopted a reuse-led approach to the building’s strip-out, using material passports research undertaken by Orms to identify opportunities to recover and redistribute building components before work began.
Alongside the 8,500 lights, the programme recovered 15,000 ceiling tiles and 72 tonnes of stone. An on-site reuse warehouse was established to facilitate storage and onward distribution of materials to other developments.
According to enabling works contractor KpH, the project has facilitated the redistribution of more than 700 tonnes of materials and saved an estimated 900 tonnes of embodied carbon.
The lighting recovery is particularly significant given the volumes of luminaires typically discarded during commercial office refurbishments. However, the project team has yet to disclose how many of the recovered fittings will be reused as complete luminaires, remanufactured or sent for recycling.
The redevelopment itself follows a retrofit-first approach, retaining approximately 89% of the original building structure while expanding its footprint and adding five floors. Practical completion is expected in 2028.
The project was highlighted by Orms and KpH at the recent Footprint+ conference, demonstrating how early planning, material identification and dedicated storage facilities can help make large-scale recovery and reuse commercially viable.
The team says the experience has also helped establish a methodology that could be applied to other major commercial developments.
‘We’ve been involved in the project to reposition the building for a number of years,’ says Orms, ‘and it has transformed our thinking about how we can break the cycle of demolition and new-build in the Square Mile.
‘By growing new architecture out of existing structures we can achieve a more natural evolution, shaping the next generation of City headquarters buildings.’
• Diary date: Circular Lighting Live 2027 takes place on Thursday 7 October 2027 in the City of London. It’s Recolight’s flagship event, comprising a two-track conference, exhibition and awards celebrating innovations in sustainable lighting.
