New London Architecture

Back to insight

Adaptive London: Reusing Existing Buildings

This research report brings together best practice in the art of adaptive reuse across the capital. It demonstrates a wealth of skills and talent through exemplary schemes, thought leadership and research, placing London as a global leader in this field.

From repurposed power stations to reimagined masterplans, London leads by example. Supported by progressive policy, circular economy principles, collaborative industry networks, and nuanced planning decisions, London offers a wide range of best practices in the adaptive reuse of buildings, which have been highlighted throughout Adaptive London. These projects are shown alongside deep engagement with a wide range of industry stakeholders, highlighting the main factors driving successful adaptation while also addressing the challenges of reuse and retrofit, aiming to inform the industry at large.

Adaptive London: Reusing Existing Buildings is part of a wider programme of research and events that explores retrofit and reuse, along with a dedicated exhibition at The London Centre.

You can download the report in the sidebar of this web page.

Foreword

Over the last two decades the NLA has welcomed countless delegations from around the world to share best practice in the art of city-making.

London’s most enduring appeal to those visiting and learning from the city comes from the adaptation of its historic built fabric, which over the centuries has been renewed to meet the current needs of its citizens and its industries.

Rather than the top-down ‘grands projets’ of its international peers, London’s more ground-up approach to reuse has been driven by a long history of commercial decision-making to move quickly and respond to new opportunities for growth.

London thus has a long history of what we term here ‘adaptive reuse’—the art of repurposing a building from one function to another, and it has rightly become an international leader in this field.

Over recent years, the principles of ‘adaptive reuse’ or ‘retrofit’ have been presented as somewhat of a new trend in response to the climate emergency—yet what we demonstrate here is that adaptive reuse not only has a long history of environmental and heritage benefits, but it continues to be driven by commercial decision-making too.  On the tail of the UK’s Industrial Strategy, published in June 2025, we have the opportunity to demonstrate how retrofit can continue to underpin that economic growth. We and our members are advocating for a clear ‘retrofirst’ emphasis in the next London Plan, which will set the spatial strategy to deliver that growth in the Capital.

This publication brings together best practice in the art of adaptive reuse across the Capital—demonstrating a wealth of skills and talent in this field, which we have to share with a global marketplace. NLA will continue to champion the skills of London’s built environment sector globally to all those looking to deliver urban growth and renewal.

Catherine Staniland, Director, NLA
The Adaptive London Project Directory

The Adaptive London Project Directory

The Adaptive London directory presents a curated selection of exemplary schemes submitted by NLA members in London and cities around the world. The schemes, both completed and upcoming, highlight a wide range of building types, scales, and ambitions. From transformed industrial structures to repurposed railways and large-scale masterplans. The showcase serves as a living archive of innovative approaches to adapting existing buildings for a multitude of uses.

The Adaptive London Event Series

The Adaptive London programming delivers industry-critical events, bringing global experts across the built environment together to tackle the biggest challenges and highlight the successes of reuse and retrofit in cities. 

Adaptive London: Viewpoints

Read further insights from voices across the industries sharing their expertise on adaptive reuse and it's relationship on adaptive reuse in the city. 

Net Zero

#NLANetZero

Non-members can download one free report by creating an NLA account and subscribing.

Champions

Hoare Lea
Airflow
Turley
Introba UK

Supporters

Multiplex

Publication Contents

05 Foreword 
06 Executive Summary 
08 Introduction 
14 Defining Adaptive Reuse: Something Old or Something New? 
24 Relevant Policy and Standards 
32 Challenges with Adaptive Reuse and Retrofit 
44 Moving Forward: Opportunities for Best Practice 
52 Conclusion and Next Steps 
56 Viewpoints 
70 Endnotes and Further Reading 
72 Acknowledgements 
75 Company Profiles

Publication Details

Published 16 July 2025
80 Pages

Related

Adaptive London: Reusing Existing Buildings

Exhibition

Adaptive London: Reusing Existing Buildings

NLA has launched its latest report ‘Adaptive London: Reusing Existing Buildings’. Accompanying the report is a dedicated...

Read more