Retrofit reimagined: building less and sharing more
Gareth Atkinson speaks to NLA about explores how the built environment industry can move beyond traditional retrofit to embrace a culture of reuse.
Gareth Atkinson, director and head of our London studio at Civic, speaks to NLA about the importance of applying system thinking and collaboration across services, and the need for a shift from demolition to deconstruction, creating “shareable buildings” that prioritise materials, mindset, and meaningful change.
As an industry, we need to use less ‘stuff’. The more new materials we use, the more we’re damaging the planet. Every year, Earth Overshoot Day arrives earlier and retrofit is one of the most direct ways that the built environment industry can respond. But retrofit isn’t suitable in every situation – it needs to be taken to the next level. At Civic, our work around system thinking has given us a bright idea.
The need to adapt and reuse existing buildings and infrastructure is not a new concept, but the narrative has certainly adapted. Where previously the main driver was conservation of heritage and ‘architectural merit’, a recognition of the built environment’s hefty carbon contribution has created a reason to conserve not only history, but embodied carbon. So, we adapt and reuse buildings to avoid knocking down and building anew.
As we consider how to do this more widely, it’s important to realise that our cities are changing and growing. Urban centres are getting denser and buildings taller, and existing structures may no longer meet the needs of the area. To me, this is where the real innovators have the greatest opportunity.
If we are to move away from demolition and instead think about deconstruction, this is where the magic can happen. Of course, this isn’t always easy to do. A lot comes down to the original construction of the building: those built from timber, brick or steel can be more easily deconstructed, with materials salvaged and reused, than post-war concrete-dense buildings.
Innovation is already happening in this space, but it’s ad hoc and relies on a matchmaking approach. For example, when Civic was assessing the House of Fraser site at 318 Oxford Street, now known as The Elephant, the top two floors were being removed as the ceiling heights didn’t fit with the future use. Through a fortunate conversation with Basil Demeroutis at FORE Partnership, we were able to reuse the steelwork that had been removed from the site within the build of TBC.London.
But it wasn’t straightforward. The demolition contractor had already sold the steel to be “recycled” (melted down). Reversing that decision meant rethinking the process and deconstructing more carefully, which inevitably meant more time and more cost. Working alongside Webb Yates, McClaren and Willmott Dixon, across two separate projects, brought the bigger picture into focus. That kind of instinctive commitment – “yes, let’s just do it” – is still surprisingly rare. But it sets the tone for what the future of retrofit can be.
Reuse isn’t just about materials – it’s about mindset. It’s about breaking down silos between projects, between competitors and between disciplines, and embracing a system-thinking approach. We need to stretch the definition of engineering services and work collaboratively across the supply channel – architects, contractors, developers – to create a chain reaction of change.
We’ve since co-founded the Engineers Reuse Collective to bring together like-minded organisations to share information, advocate for reuse and build a network of trust that understands the long-term impact of construction decisions and wants to make a difference. What started with six founding companies now includes over 40. The bigger piece isn’t just about finding materials – it’s about creating a culture of reuse where the first question isn’t “what material should I use for this?” but “what’s already available that would work for this new purpose?”
At Civic, we’re referring to this approach as the “Shareable Building” and we’re asking ourselves: what does it mean to build less and share more?
Material passports, demolition audits and digital twins are all part of this solution – but they must be accessible, affordable and widely adopted. Upskilling is also critical: not just for those already passionate about sustainability, but for the wider industry still operating under outdated assumptions.
To truly embed reuse into the DNA of our industry, we need more than good intentions. We need better data, clearer specifications and stronger policy drivers. Sharing case studies, developing standardised templates and forming working groups are all ways we’re helping to formalise new approaches and make reuse the norm.
Ultimately, the future of retrofit is more complicated, more sophisticated – and more exciting. It’s about designing a resilient, resourceful future. And if we get it right, it’s not just the buildings that will be transformed, it’s the entire culture of construction.
We’re proud to once again be sponsoring the New London Architecture (NLA) Retrofit Summit on November 12th, reinforcing our commitment to driving sustainable transformation in the built environment.
