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The Tiny Gallery

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 11:48:06 GMT

When creativity is integrated into public buildings, it sparks curiosity, invites engagement and, often without us realising, communicates a simple message of welcome.

At The Well Church, an underutilised reception space has been reimagined as the “Tiny Gallery”: a new exhibition space in the entrance foyer dedicated to showcasing work by local artists and students from nearby art schools, including Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, University of the Arts London, and Goldsmiths, University of London.

KILO has brought together artists and friends to help the church launch this initiative as a meaningful and creative way for the church to engage with emerging artists and the local creative community.

The Tiny Gallery launched on 10th January with work by Lizzie Harnden, an interdisciplinary artist working across sculpture, printmaking, photography, and video.

We wish the Tiny Gallery every success!

Opening doors to the community

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 12:42:43 GMT

The Challenge: A Hidden Space, Hidden Potential

Located on Wells Way, The Well is far more than a Sunday worship venue; it is a lively hub offering programs throughout the week, supporting local charities and community groups.

Yet for years, the entrance was hidden behind raised blue metal doors. Many locals walked past without ever knowing what was inside. This invisibility not only created a barrier to access but also undermined the church’s mission as a welcoming civic presence.

The Vision: A Design That Opens, Invites, and Connects

KILO was invited to help make the entrance more open, friendly, and visible. We saw the large brick façade not as a wall, but as a canvas. Now, a warm timber sign glows with the words “The Well,” and the ground floor has been opened up with wide glass doors that let in light and let people see the life happening inside.

We also added a ramp, making it easier for wheelchair users and parents with pushchairs to come and go.

It’s a small change with a big impact.

The Challenge: A Hidden Space, Hidden Potential

Located on Wells Way, The Well is far more than a Sunday worship venue; it is a lively hub offering programs throughout the week, supporting local charities and community groups.

The Vision: A Design That Opens, Invites, and Connects

We also added a ramp, making it easier for wheelchair users and parents with pushchairs to come and go.

It’s a small change with a big impact.

The Impact: A Beacon of Openness and Community Engagement

A bold new sign: charred timber and glowing letters make “The Well” stand out, inviting curiosity and conversation.

Glass doors and windows: natural light pours in, and passersby can glimpse the warmth and activity inside.

Accessible design: a gentle ramp and covered entrance welcome everyone, no matter their mobility.

The Impact: A Beacon of Openness and Community Engagement

A bold new sign: charred timber and glowing letters make “The Well” stand out, inviting curiosity and conversation.

Glass doors and windows: natural light pours in, and passersby can glimpse the warmth and activity inside.

Accessible design: a gentle ramp and covered entrance welcome everyone, no matter their mobility.

The Result? A Space That Welcomes Everyone

Since the changes, the church has seen new faces: people who now feel invited to step in. The congregation has felt proud to host art exhibitions, wedding celebrations, neighbourhood meetings, and shared meals. What was once a hidden entrance is now a visible sign of welcome.

Get in touch, we’d love to hear your story and explore how we can help.

If your church or community space feels hidden or hard to find, we’d love to help you reimagine it. Whether through thoughtful design, bold signage, or creative use of art, we can transform entrances into places that don’t just open, but truly invite.

The Result? A Space That Welcomes Everyone

Since the changes, the church has seen new faces: people who now feel invited to step in. The congregation has felt proud to host art exhibitions, wedding celebrations, neighbourhood meetings, and shared meals. What was once a hidden entrance is now a visible sign of welcome.

What was once a hidden entrance is now a visible sign of welcome.

Get in touch, we’d love to hear your story and explore how we can help

Reach out, and let’s explore how we can make your space a visible, welcoming presence in the community

How churches can shape the UK’s social housing future

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 12:22:06 GMT

Unlocking Hidden Value

As the housing crisis deepens, a powerful yet often overlooked opportunity lies in partnering with the nation’s churches. With deep roots in their communities, access to underused land and a mission grounded in service and compassion, churches are uniquely positioned to help reimagine social housing, not only as shelter for those in need but as a foundation for community regeneration.

From Sacred Ground to Shared Social Space

Churches are embedded in the social fabric of every town and city. Their buildings often sit at the heart of communities and their leadership is trusted, visible, and mission-driven. By unlocking underused land and premises, churches can become key players in delivering affordable housing, especially when supported by partners who understand both the spiritual and practical dimensions of development.

Unlocking Hidden Value

From Sacred Ground to Shared Social Space

The Bear, Deptford: Faith in Action

At The Bear in Deptford, London, originally established as a Ragged School, church land has been reimagined into a vibrant mixed-use development:

600 sqm of dedicated church and community space
33 social housing units above, designed for inclusivity and accessibility

The new community integrates five floors of social housing above an active church and community space. The Bear Church continues its mission through programmes such as postnatal support, mums and tots groups, English lessons and a soup kitchen. Welcoming new residents into this network is a natural extension of its faith-led commitment to inclusion and belonging.

Projects like The Bear honour a legacy of compassion and practical care, responding to today’s crisis with the same spirit that shaped its founding.

The Bear, Deptford: Faith in Action

At The Bear in Deptford, London, originally established as a Ragged School, church land has been reimagined into a vibrant mixed-use development:

600 sqm of dedicated church and community space
33 social housing units above, designed for inclusivity and accessibility

Projects like The Bear honour a legacy of compassion and practical care, responding to today’s crisis with the same spirit that shaped its founding.

The Way Forward

Churches need a trusted pathway to turn vision into viable, fundable projects. They need:

Strategic partnerships
Planning and design expertise
Financial models that balance mission with viability

Equally, local councils and funders must see churches not merely as stakeholders, but as co-creators of the UK’s housing future.

At The Bear, KIL O Architects supported the formation of J49 , the residential provider that secured GLA grant funding and worked closely with Lewisham Council and the Greater London Authority to realise the vision.

Faith, Housing, and the Future

We continue to collaborate with churches seeking to act on their faith through social housing, creating spaces that embody the vision. We assist in:

Clarifying vision through community engagement
Preparing options studies
Guiding through planning processes
Assessing funding strategies

Our goal is to make the mission tangible: creating spaces where faith, community, and housing thrive together.

Housing with Values

This vision aligns with the recently published Housing with Values report by the Faith and Belief Policy Collective (London and Cambridge - Oct 2025), which underscores the crucial role faith communities play in shaping sustainable housing.

Professor Christopher Baker (Goldsmiths, University of London), lead author of the report, writes:

“As we embark on this next chapter of New Town building in England, it is vital to understand the contribution that faith and belief bring to the sustaining of new communities, through their vision, experience, resources, and local leadership.”

This insight affirms what we have witnessed firsthand. Faith communities, especially churches, hold not only spiritual capital but tangible assets that can be mobilised for social good.

The report rightly highlights that land, buildings, and financial resources within these communities can play a pivotal role in addressing housing needs and strengthening social infrastructure.

KIL O has been walking alongside churches to reimagine their spaces, not just as places of worship, but as anchors of community and catalysts for affordable housing.

Our collaborative model brings churches, local authorities and housing grant providers into meaningful partnership, unlocking underused land for the common good. With new heritage expertise now strengthening our team, we’re ready to support more churches in turning vision into viable, fundable projects.

Faith communities, especially churches, hold not only spiritual capital but tangible assets that can be mobilised for social good.

The Way Forward

Churches need a trusted pathway to turn vision into viable, fundable projects. They need:

Strategic partnerships
Planning and design expertise
Financial models that balance mission with viability

Equally, local councils and funders must see churches not merely as stakeholders, but as co-creators of the UK’s housing future.

At The Bear, KIL O Architects supported the formation of J49 , the residential provider that secured GLA grant funding and worked closely with Lewisham Council and the Greater London Authority to realise the vision.

Faith, Housing, and the Future

We continue to collaborate with churches seeking to act on their faith through social housing, creating spaces that embody the vision. We assist in:

Clarifying vision through community engagement
Preparing options studies
Guiding through planning processes
Assessing funding strategies

Our goal is to make the mission tangible: creating spaces where faith, community, and housing thrive together.

Housing with Values

Professor Christopher Baker (Goldsmiths, University of London), lead author of the report, writes:

This insight affirms what we have witnessed firsthand. Faith communities, especially churches, hold not only spiritual capital but tangible assets that can be mobilised for social good.

The report rightly highlights that land, buildings, and financial resources within these communities can play a pivotal role in addressing housing needs and strengthening social infrastructure.

KIL O has been walking alongside churches to reimagine their spaces, not just as places of worship, but as anchors of community and catalysts for affordable housing.

Faith communities, especially churches, hold not only spiritual capital but tangible assets that can be mobilised for social good.

See this 3-minute video "A Home in the Heart of Deptford" from John M Ford and Jesse Alston

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLZZIoFownu/

Read the Cambridge report here:

https://www.interfaith.cam.ac.uk/news/new-report-housing-values

If you're exploring how your church can respond to the housing crisis with purpose and practicality, we’d be pleased to journey with you.

Heritage Meets Housing: KILO strengthens its expertise in faith-based housing and regeneration

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 12:04:48 GMT

We’re thrilled to welcome Lisa Brooks from Brooks Building Consultants Ltd to the KIL O team as a consultant conservation surveyor!

Lisa is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors with over 30 years of experience and a specialist in historic building conservation. As an RICS certified historic building professional and a Full Member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), she brings a wealth of expertise: from delicate repairs to £35M regeneration projects across housing, education, commercial and heritage sectors.

She also serves on the Rochester Diocesan Advisory Committee, advising churches and the Chancellor on DAC proposals and is a Quinquennial Surveyor for the Dioceses of Rochester and Canterbury. Lisa’s work is grounded in a deep respect for heritage and a strong commitment to professional integrity, ensuring that conservation priorities, statutory responsibilities and the long-term significance of historic buildings are upheld throughout every project.

At KIL O , we’ve long supported churches and faith spaces. Many of them are listed or rich in heritage value. Lisa’s arrival strengthens our ability to serve these buildings with care, insight and technical rigour. She’ll be leading conservation surveys and preparing Statements of Significance, helping us offer even more sensitive, informed guidance to our clients.

We believe church buildings should continue to thrive, serving the communities they were built for, while evolving to meet today’s needs. That might mean integrating affordable housing, performance spaces, nurseries, social supermarkets, coworking spaces, or areas for community activity. These kinds of adaptations help ensure historic buildings remain open, relevant and active throughout the week.

Our goal is to give these spaces renewed purpose: honouring their heritage while unlocking new possibilities for the future.

Welcome aboard, Lisa. We’re so glad you’ve joined us!

Welcoming Dean to the team

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 09:19:21 GMT

Dean joins KIL O as an associate!

We’re excited to announce Dean’s promotion to Associate at KIL O Architects!

Since joining us a year ago, Dean has brought a rich mix of architectural expertise, project management and community leadership.

He’s fitted right in, contributing extensive experience, a generous network and a shared vision for spaces that serve and inspire.

Dean’s journey spans leading his own practice (with clients like Tesco, M&S, ASDA, and Sainsbury’s), Senior Design Manager roles at Carillion and Morrisons Construction (Galliford Try) and over a decade as a church pastor overseeing its key stages of redevelopment.

Now back in architecture, Dean brings fresh energy to designing spaces that help communities flourish, perfectly aligned with KIL O ’s mission

We asked Dean a few quick questions to get to know him better:

Can you share a bit about your background and the experiences that have shaped your journey so far?

I’ve been in architecture and construction for a long time. I love designing and solving challenges through the design process. I’ve had the privilege to work with some amazing people (who I learn so much from) and on some cracking projects, from university campuses to individuals’ homes, from large retail-led mixed-use schemes to churches and community projects.

Has it always been architecture?

No, I’ve been a regional design manager for two national contractors, leading the design delivery on multiple projects and serving on the leadership team of those companies. I’m part of a leadership team at a large, growing church, serving as a pastor. As a church, we have undergone a significant redevelopment of our site and are continuing to expand it to serve a growing congregation and local community.

What gets you up in the morning?

My family is number one. We are all surrounded by four things: Architecture, Engineering, Nature and People. I have the privilege to be able to live in that space, where I can influence 2 of those four: to serve people and to create buildings and environments that help those people flourish. That’s what gets me out of bed.

Dean’s heart for both people and place is right at home here. As we continue to reimagine living communities and breathe new life into historic church buildings, we’re thrilled to have him alongside us.

Welcome to the team, Dean. We’re excited for what’s ahead!

Transform your space - The power of art and signage to elevate your premises

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 16:13:38 GMT

Have you ever walked past a building and felt an instant connection?

Architecture isn't just about buildings—it's about crafting spaces that inspire, connect, and welcome. It has the unique ability to make people feel at ease, encourage engagement and a sense of belonging.

However, too often, buildings can seem intimidating or unapproachable. This is where the integration of art and signage can play a pivotal role in reshaping how we experience architecture.

Take, for instance, The Well Church in Camberwell , a prime example of how architectural design, art, and signage can change the public perception of a space.

Before its renovation, the church was hidden behind blue metal doors that sat elevated above the footpath, with no hint at what lay inside. This lack of transparency, coupled with poor signage, made the church distant and overlooked by the local community.

Many didn’t even realise it was a place of worship.

Integrating art and creative signage elevates buildings beyond their functional purpose, allowing them to connect with the public on a deeper level, enhancing their visual appeal and evoking emotions, making them meaningful places that the public can personally identify with.

In redesigning The Well church's entrance, we used the existing architecture to create a bold statement. A large panel of charred timber, with the illuminated words "The Well" in striking, contemporary typography, transformed the entrance. The signage became more than a marker—it became an integral part of the architectural fabric, standing out as a beacon that invited curiosity and engagement. What was once a closed-off structure became a welcoming, easily recognisable landmark.

“When designing physical spaces, we are also designing or implicitly specifying distinct experiences, emotions and mental states.

In fact, as architects, we are operating in the human brain and nervous system as much as in the world of matter and physical construction.”

Juhani Pallasmaa in “The Architecture of Empathy”.

Engaging the Public Through Art and Signage

At The Well Church , the design changes focused on transparency and openness, both physically and metaphorically. Wide glazed doors and large openings at the entrance allowed natural light to flood the interior while offering a glimpse into the space beyond. This openness created an inviting atmosphere, while a new ramp and glazed canopy ensured accessibility for all, including wheelchair users and those with pushchairs.

The result? A building that is no longer hidden, but recognised and embraced by the local community. In fact, it has become a space that residents now actively seek out and engage with.

Storytelling Through Design

Art has the unique ability to tell stories that reflect the history, culture, and purpose of a building. A mural on a community centre might celebrate local legends, while a business sign can embody its core values, inviting like-minded patrons. This storytelling ability is particularly meaningful for churches and community centres, which often have rich histories and cultural significance to draw from.

Bear Church’s story began as a non-alcoholic youth bar at a nearby location. It later moved into the Shaftesbury Centre, a building originally constructed as a Ragged School for underprivileged children.

This heritage was reflected in the design elements, including the bear motif at the entrance, which sparked conversations about the building’s past and its connection to the local community. The side entrance to residential apartments, aptly named The Bear Walk, continues the narrative.

Creating a Sense of Identity Through Signage

Signage serves as a tool for wayfinding and identification. Used imaginatively, it becomes a powerful design feature that adds personality and charm to a neighbourhood, transforming even the simplest building into an iconic landmark. From neon signs to hand-painted graphics and innovative digital displays, the possibilities are endless.

At Bear Church in Deptford , KILO's design used signage in imaginative ways to make the building both visually striking and engaging.

A beautifully crafted church logo was placed at a prominent height, ensuring visibility from a distance: a glowing star on the façade that overlooks the market square references stories of hope and forgiveness, guidance and revelation. It invites the public to connect with the building in a personal and memorable way.

Conclusion: Why Architecture, Art and Signage are Important

At Bear Church , The Well Community Church and Kingsley Hall , the integration of art and signage did more than decorate the building; it facilitated deeper connections between the church and the community, inspired society and the development of shared values for the common good.

Whether through the welcoming glow of illuminated lettering or the playful charm of a bear design, these elements breathe life into buildings and make them more than just places—they make them landmarks that are filled with stories, memories, and connections.

By investing in these elements, we can transform not just our buildings but the very way we interact with our built environment and impact the lives of our communities.