The transformation of South Bank Tower provides London’s Southwark district with a world-class mixed-use development and an enhanced public realm, replacing an outmoded building and dearth of amenities.

Located on a prominent site on the River Thames, the building – originally designed in 1972 by architect Richard Seifert – has been transformed by KPF into a modern property that gives back to its context in the form of public spaces and forward-thinking sustainability measures.

The major redesign comprises several large-scale alterations, including the creation of a new route through the heart of the scheme, which doubles the building’s retail space and provides valuable new public areas along the riverfront. The redesign also adds 11 stories to the existing tower, creating more space for valuable residential units while also emphasizing the structure’s iconic verticality. The upper floors of the tower, previously home to office space, were converted into residential units. The reconfiguration of space extends to the podium, where three new floors were added and the original 1970’s cores replaced and repositioned.

The new construction introduces a number of sustainability and resiliency measures, including a highly-effective heat recovery system, low-energy lighting systems, and even future proofs the buildings with space for links to district heating and cooling schemes.