Mace unveils installation to promote circularity at its London HQ

Mace, the global construction and consultancy company, has unveiled an installation highlighting the potential of circularity in the built environment sector at its global headquarters in the City of London. 

Designed by architects Kohn Pedersen Fox, the 3.1m x 1.45m curved wall shaped sculpture is made of reclaimed stones retrieved from the original facade of the former BT London HQ at 81 Newgate Street. 

The installation draws attention to the fact that more than 90% of waste generated by demolition and construction activities in London ends up in different industries and often outside of the UK. 

The installation is the centrepiece of a wider exhibition “closing the circle" on display for staff and visitors to Mace’s global headquarters in London, developed in partnership with its supply chain partners and consultants to highlight the potential circularity has in the built environment in innovative ways. 

Mace’s 2026 Business Strategy commits the company to working towards a more sustainable world and identifies how reusing material, instead of committing it to waste, can have a major impact in the fight against climate change.  

The company believes that embracing a circular approach over the next decade can help to redress this issue, as over 900,000 tonnes of valuable materials could be retained within the construction supply chain, thereby fostering a self-sustaining and environmentally responsible cycle. 

Ged Simmonds, Managing Director Offices at Mace said: 

“With half of all the raw materials globally used by the construction industry, Circularity isn’t just an option anymore. It is crucial if we want to achieve net zero and address material waste. 

“It’s great to see the potential of circularity brought to life in a creative display and I look forward to welcoming people to our Global HQ in London to explore the installation and learn more about the solutions our industry can provide.”
 
John Bushell, Principal at Kohn Pedersen Fox said: 

“The recovery and reuse of the stone from the old BT building is a testament that we still have skilled craftsmen and ingenious committed contractors who could make the vision happen. The creative reuse of found materials has to be part of the future of redevelopment. 

“The lobby walls are visually articulated and interesting, made from the most complex corner elements and create a textured surface, complimented by fossil rich stone. They create the space for lifts up to the roof garden, and so also allude to the tradition of grotto and loggia garden rooms. The same treatment is proposed as one enters the garden itself, emerging into the most specular views. 

“The carbon responsibility is accompanied by a more emotional and tactile enjoyment of the recovered materials, within a long architectural tradition.”

The installation will be on display in the lobby of Mace’s office at 155 Moorgate until early 2024.