holcim’s building icons transform global cities with circular, low-carbon construction

HOLCIM’S BUILDING ICONS SHAPE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

As the global population heads toward 9.7 billion by 2050, and urbanization increases, the need for sustainable housing and infrastructure grows more pressing. Holcim is leading this transformation by offering circular, resilient, and low-carbon building solutions that enhance quality of life while meeting ambitious environmental targets. The company’s work results in projects such as London’s Wood Wharf, a model of circular construction, and The Ellinikon in Athens, Europe’s largest urban regeneration project in collaboration with Foster + Partners. These ‘Building Icons’ exemplify how sustainable construction harmonizes with the environment while improving quality of life for future generations.

‘Holcim is a leader in sustainable building. We’re making circular construction and decarbonization drivers of profitable growth as we deliver superior performance. Building Icons is also about sparking a shift in the built environment that answers the question: What kind of world do you want to live in?’ says Miljan Gutovic, CEO of Holcim.

Wood Wharf, one of Holcim’s Building Icons exemplifies excellence in circular construction | all images courtesy of Holcim

Holcim’s portfolio of iconic projects, or ‘Building Icons,’ showcases the company’s answer to this question, demonstrating how the construction industry can help deliver a sustainable built environment. Through Building Icons, the company also wants to mobilize the whole building value chain to accelerate sustainable building together. 

Miljan Gutovic highlights four Building Icons as prime examples. In Melbourne, Australia, the Metro Tunnel project was developed in response to a growing population, using Holcim’s ECOPact low-carbon concrete for two nine-kilometer tunnels and five stations. This project achieved a 52% reduction in embodied carbon through bespoke concrete mix designs. 

Similarly, in Mexico’s rapidly growing industrial city of Monterrey, the 21-floor Moranta Tower – part of the mixed-use development Distrito Karena in Saltillo – became Holcim’s first full ECOPact project in the country, with Holcim’s SMARTCast digital technology used to optimize the concrete mix design to reduce cost, emissions and time.

Moranta Tower, part of Saltillo’s Distrito Karena, is Holcim’s first full ECOPact project in Mexico

LONDON’S WOOD WHARF: AN ICON OF CIRCULAR CONSTRUCTION

In the U.K, Wood Wharf in London shows how circular construction is transforming urban landscapes. Spanning over 500,000 square meters, this mixed-use development, located in Canary Wharf, includes offices, homes, retail spaces, and public parks. As one of the first projects in the UK to use Holcim’s ECOPact concrete, incorporating 20% recycled construction demolition materials (CDM), Wood Wharf shows how innovative materials can make large-scale urban development more sustainable while maintaining high performance standards.

‘The Holcim ECOPact range helped us focus on what low-carbon solutions and circularity options are available to us. As we progressed and our understanding and relationships with our supply chain partners grew, we were able to work closely to develop alternative concrete mixes,’ states Jonathan Ly, Director Structures of Canary Wharf Group.

Wood Wharf pioneers the use of neustark’s carbon removal technology

Wood Wharf also pioneers the use of neustark’s carbon removal technology, which injects CO2 into recycled concrete for permanent storage, reducing overall emissions. Additionally, a partnership with Sivyer Logistics enables the recycling of 800,000 tons of CDM annually, contributing to the project’s circular economy model. With a focus on developing sustainable office spaces, residential areas, and green public spaces, Allies & Morrison and Glen Howells Architects’ masterplan for Wood Wharf turns Canary Wharf into a thriving urban hub, creating another Building Icon with Holcim.

THE ELLINIKON: SETTING NEW STANDARDS IN URBAN REGENERATION

Continuing its transformative impact, Holcim’s work on The Ellinikon project in Athens showcases the potential of sustainable construction on a grand scale. Located on the former site of the Ellinikon International Airport, this ‘modern, green city’ covers 6.2 million square meters, making it Europe’s largest urban regeneration project. Partnering with Lamda Development and Foster + Partners, Holcim is playing an important role in realizing this vision of a modern, eco-friendly city by providing the materials for 90% of its structures.

‘For the Riviera Tower raft foundation we achieved the largest ‘one shot’ concrete pour in the history of Greece. Using 120 concrete trucks and 15 pumps, over 300 people from Holcim and our partners worked on this 40-hour non-stop pour. This major logistical challenge required extremely precise coordination, and marked an outstanding collaboration with our customer,’ explains Vassilis Iakovou, Head of Concrete Line at Holcim Greece.

Holcim’s input in the Ellinikon project in Athens showcases the potential of sustainable construction on a grand scale

The Ellinikon is designed as a ‘15-minute city’, where residents have easy access to essential services within walking or cycling distance. Highlights of the development include the Riviera Tower, which on completion will be the tallest residential skyscraper in the Mediterranean at 200 meters, and Greece’s first LEED Gold pre-certified building. The massive Ellinikon Park spans over 2 million square meters and doubles the green space available for each Athenian, while the Poseidonos Avenue Underpass – built with Holcim’s low-carbon concrete – further enhances connectivity and minimizes traffic congestion.

As a modern marvel of the 21st century with 6,200 acres of urban living, dynamic shopping districts, thriving business centers and leisure facilities, The Ellinikon is set to make a lasting environmental and economic impact, and is expected to create approximately 85,000 jobs. With the first phase slated for completion by the end of 2026, this Building Icon sets new standards for sustainable urban development.

Holcim is playing a key role in shaping this The Ellinikon by supplying materials for 90% of its structures

Holcim’s ‘Building Icons’ showcases inspirational buildings at the heart of our cities and key infrastructure – built sustainably with Holcim Inside

project info: 

name: Building Icons

company: Holcim | @holcimbydesign

projects: Melbourne Metro in Australia, Moranta Tower in Mexico, Wood Wharf in the UK, the Ellinikon in Greece