UK’s first circular construction hub launches in Royal Docks

The project in Silvertown is being run by charity Tipping Point East working with the Mayor of London and London Borough of Newham. Tipping Point East is itself a partnership led by three founding organisations all at the forefront of regenerative design and building practice: Yes Make, RESOLVE Collective and Material Cultures.

The scheme is housed in a pair of former light industrial units on a 20,000m² site on an industrial estate in a part of the city that is rapidly being redeveloped.

The mayor of London has plans to deliver 36,000 new homes in the area, and it is hoped the innovative scheme will be able to play a part in facilitating low-carbon construction. Although initially a meanwhile operation, those running the scheme hope that it might be able to stay on the site beyond its initial five-year lifespan.

By enabling large scale material reuse and capturing resources from construction and demolition that typically go to waste the team estimate that they will be able to divert at least 950 tonnes of materials from landfill over the five years. 

Additionally Tipping Point will provide an educational and community space, plus training, volunteering opportunities, work experience and cultural programming.

The hub will see products and materials kept in circulation through refurbishment and recycling. It will act as a demonstrator for practical reuse, processing waste materials in one of the two former factory units.

George Massoud, trustee at Tipping Point East and founding director of Material Cultures, said, “Tipping Point East will be a radical new climate futures centre and crucial piece of infrastructure for the circular economy in London, accelerating the transition towards net zero and developing the construction sector’s green skills capacity.

“By embedding circular economy processes directly into London’s material flows, it will demonstrate practically how we move towards a just transition.”