people
We are design-led and research-orientated. We are critical about what we do, but we have lots of fun as we love the unique challenge each project presents.
helena rivera
Director
A chartered architect and urban planning specialist, Helena Rivera founded A Small Studio Ltd. in 2011. With over two decades of experience, she brings expertise in British regional planning and New Town development to every project. Her doctoral research at the Bartlett School of Planning (UCL) focused on political ideology and housing supply in British New Towns, complementing her architectural training from University College London and the Royal College of Art.
In academia, Helena serves as External Examiner for the M.Arch Architecture program at the University of Plymouth. Her teaching experience spans more than twenty years as a visiting lecturer in Landscape Architecture & Urbanism at Kingston University and the University of Greenwich. She frequently contributes to academic discourse through lectures, critiques, and workshops across UK universities.
As an active member of the architectural community, Helena serves on the board of the local Business Improvement District (BID) and mentors aspiring architects through the RIBA mentoring scheme. Her Dutch upbringing and Colombian heritage inform her international perspective. She has lived in London 25 years and loves the city.
kalliopi bouzounieraki
Associate Architect
Kalliopi Bouzounieraki is an Associate Architect at A Small Studio and joined the practice in 2017. She is a fully qualified Architect registered on the Architects Registration Board (ARB). Kalliopi grew up on a Greek island, drawing classical columns since an early age. At the age of 18 she moved to the UK where she completed her Architecture studies at Kingston University, the University of Edinburgh and University of Brighton.
Kalliopi has experience as a visiting lecturer at the University of Greenwich and mentoring students from the London School of Architecture doing their Inter-Practice year in the studio. Together with Helena, she also ran a master’s unit in Landscape Architecture and Urbanism.
Kalliopi is passionate about her reading and writing. She likes walking around the city of London with a sketchpad in her bag and is always on the lookout for new columns to sketch.
alice kim
Architectural Assistant
Alice Kim is a Part 1 Architectural Assistant at A Small Studio. She first joined in 2019 for her “Sandwich Placement” whilst studying for her Part 1 at the University of Bath. On her return to university, she combined her interest in textiles to design a textile manufactory for her final year project, exploring the production of sustainable cloth and clothing. After graduating, Alice returned to the studio for her year-out.
Alice enjoys crafting. With a passion for woodworking, she participated in summer wood workshops at the University of Bath and Hellowood International Summer School for three consecutive years. She also loves model making and has recently taken up a new hobby of knitting.
simon hughes
Architectural Assistant
Simon Hughes is a Part 2 Architectural Assistant at A Small Studio, having joined the practice in 2024 after completing his studies at the Welsh School of Architecture. His Part 1 work at Cardiff University was shortlisted for the Urbanism & Community Award in the WSA Show 2021 and was featured on the RIBA Education Instagram as part of the Class of 2021 Showcase.
Simon enjoys travelling and volunteered on a project to construct a kindergarten in rural Zambia in August 2022, gaining hands-on construction knowledge and learning how to adapt to daily on-site changes in a remote and challenging environment, while engaging with the local community. In his spare time, Simon enjoys running and uses it as a medium to explore new parts of London.