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
Helena Rivera is a chartered architect and the founder of A Small Studio Ltd., established in 2011. A socially minded and keen designer, Helena brings an unwavering belief in the power of co-design and co-creation as forces for good - whether engaging with clients, collaborating as a team, or shaping pedagogy. She is a doer, thinker and leader who has built a small, dynamic studio from the ground up in a truly exciting and purposeful way.
With over two decades of experience, Helena combines architectural practice with a strong academic foundation. Her doctoral research at the Bartlett School of Planning (UCL) examined political ideology and housing supply in British New Towns, complementing her architectural training at University College London and the Royal College of Art.
In academia, Helen is an Associate Lecturer at the Royal College of Art, where she teaches Design Practice within the School of Architecture and leads the Professional Practice module in the MA Architecture programme. She also serves as External Examiner for the M.Arch Architecture programme at the University of Plymouth. Her teaching experience spans more than twenty years, including roles as a visiting lecturer in Landscape Architecture & Urbanism at Kingston University and the University of Greenwich. She regularly contributes to academic discourse through lectures, critiques, and workshops across UK universities.
Helena is an active member of the architectural community, serving on the board of the local Business Improvement District (BID) and mentoring emerging architects through the RIBA mentoring scheme. Her Dutch upbringing and Colombian heritage shape her international outlook. She has lived in London for 27 years and remains deeply inspired by 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.
iria suárez martínez
Studio Manager
Iria Suárez Martínez is Studio Manager at A Small Studio. Originally trained as a fashion designer in Spain, Iria first joined the studio in 2013 as a Textiles Specialist. After completing an MA in the History of Design at the Royal College of Art (RCA) and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), she returned as a Materials Specialist and now leads the studio’s public engagement and outreach programme.
Iria is currently a LAHP-funded PhD candidate at the RCA/V&A. Her research, Designing Health: Urban Spaces for Sick Children, 1850–1914, explores the design of children’s hospitals in Victorian and Edwardian Britain, examining how these spaces shaped ideas of health, childhood, and urban life.
At A Small Studio, Iria is responsible for front-end development. She works closely with team members to develop projects that bridges historical research and contemporary practice, with a focus on material innovation, environmental responsibility, and inclusive design. She is also in charge of our materials library, leading the studio’s project on London’s first sustainable material library dedicated to the promotion of net-zero emissions in the construction industry.