Severfield was contracted to provide the structural steelwork for the reinvention of 334 Oxford Street, the former Debenhams department store. This project involves refurbishing and extending the building to create a highly sustainable, modern space. The design, led by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, focuses on preserving the building’s heritage while achieving the client’s sustainability goals.
- Location
- London
- Client
- 334 Ramsbury Oxford Ltd
- Main Contractor
- Lendlease
- Engineer
- AKT II
- Architect
- AHMM
- Tonnage
- 2,275
As part of this transformation, Severfield is supplying 2,275 tonnes of structural steel to complete the 10-storey building. The project involves the task of connecting new steel elements to a retained steel and concrete frame, ensuring both structural integrity and seamless integration with the existing building.
A key priority for the client is to minimise the embodied carbon of the building, and Severfield is fully aligned with this goal. We have committed to meeting an embodied carbon target of 83 kg CO2e/m². To achieve this, we are incorporating reused steel, Electric Arc Furnace (EAF)-produced sections, and metal decking into the design. This approach reflects our ongoing dedication to sustainability and our role in helping clients reduce their carbon footprint.
The scheme involves a complex repurposing of the original six-storey structure, which was built in the 1960s and 1970s. The project includes the partial retention of the building, along with significant alterations and extensions. The existing façade is being removed, and the north and west sections of the building, along with the existing cores, are being demolished. The site will be redeveloped to provide a comprehensive refurbishment with nine upper floors, a plant enclosure at the ninth floor, and active frontages facing Oxford Street, Marylebone Lane, Henrietta Place, and Vere Street.
Incorporating sustainable practices, approximately 60% of the concrete substructure and about 52% of the steel superstructure will be retained, in line with the client’s and the local authorities’ commitment to reducing embodied carbon and energy consumption. The use of reused steel beams and columns salvaged from previous projects has been a key initiative in reducing embodied carbon. These beams are cleaned, tested, and certified, ensuring their integrity for reuse.
Additionally, this project marks one of the first for Severfield to use metal decking produced from EAF steel, which has a significantly lower carbon content than traditional blast furnace steel, further reducing the project’s environmental impact.
Severfield has also implemented the use of reusable temporary bracing, a practice designed to cut down on waste. Instead of scrapping bracing members after construction, these components are dismantled, unbolted, and returned to our Dalton facility, where they are reused in future projects.
This project is a testament to Severfield’s commitment to leading the way in sustainable construction practices, ensuring that each project we undertake contributes positively to the environment. The completed 334 Oxford Street building will target BREEAM Outstanding certification, as well as WELL Core ‘ready,’ NABERS 5*, and WiredScore Platinum ratings, further cementing its status as a highly sustainable and modern space.
