We are diverse yet like-minded.
Our studio is a safe place to play, where everyone has agency and responsibility is shared. We’re bound by mutual warmth, respect and curiosity and, as a free haus, our minds – and studio walls – are open, liberating us to specialise and evolve.
Freehaus was established in 2012. Since our founding we have delivered award-winning projects across the UK and Europe. Our projects and practice have been featured in numerous UK and international publications.
Freehaus are RIBA Chartered Practice have adopted the London Practice Forum charter. Freehaus is an accredited London Living Wage Employer and a Planet Mark certified business.
Jonathan Hagos
Director BSc(Hons), DipArch, PgDipArc, ARB, RIBA
Jonathan Hagos is a Director of Freehaus. He is a Mayor of London Design Advocate and QRP panel member for the LLDC and the Royal Borough of Greenwich and sits on the Hackney Regeneration Design Advisory Group.
As an RIBA Conservation Registrant he has built his experience upon the delivery of sensitive design interventions to existing buildings, often in Grade Listed and historic contexts. Jonathan’s interest in heritage lies in promoting a more expansive and accessible definition of the subject. He was a Heritage Champion as part of the North Tottenham Townscape Heritage Initiative supporting the wider importance of our local built environments. He is currently working with several London churches as a Quinquennial Inspector to help dovetail the community endeavours of our clients with necessary remedial work and capital investment for local civic needs.
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Jonathan has been actively involved at various UK universities since 2006 and has been invited widely as external critic and senior lecturer. He was an external examiner at Oxford Brookes between 2020-24 and has held teaching roles at Oxford Brookes University, University of Greenwich, London Metropolitan Univeristy and The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL. He was an Ardagh Young Creatives Mentor at the Design Museum, helping to nurture pathways into the profession for young people from under-represented groups.Jonathan holds a BSc and Post Graduate Diploma in Architecture from the Bartlett, UCL before qualifying as an architect from Westminster University with Distinction in 2012. His career began at Squire and Partners, before working with Cj Lim/Studio 8, Studio Cullinan and Buck, and Calderon Folch in Barcelona.
Jonathan also led the production design for award-winning feature film, Simshar, highlighting the plight of refugees across the Mediterranean, which was long-listed for best foreign film at the American Academy Awards.
Relevant Appointments:
Mayor of London Design Advocate
Quality Review Panel Member – LLDC, Greenwich
Hackney Design Advisory Group Member
External Examiner Oxford Brookes
RIBA Conservation Registrant
Design Museum Creative Mentor
Tom Bell
Director BA(Hons), DipArch, PgDipArc, ARB, RIBA, AECB
Tom Bell is a Director of Freehaus. Tom is a Certified Passivhaus Designer, a qualified Principal Designer and member of the AECB. He sits on the Quality
Review Panel for Harrow Borough Council and the OPDC as a sustainability consultant, and was a speaker at the AJ Environmental Summit 2021 and is an RIBA Student Mentor at Oxford Brookes University.
Tom is our Architects Declare ambassador, and leads our RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge, exploring opportunities to deliver net zero projects through operational energy and embodied carbon reduction, whilst working hand-in-hand with our end user communities to improve health and wellbeing, sustainable communities and social value. Tom is anan RIBA client advisor and actively supports their steering group alongside the RIBA’s guerilla tactics conferences in 2023 and 2024.
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Tom studied at the Macintosh School of Art, the University of Newcastle, and the Bartlett, UCL prior to qualifying as an Architect from Westminster University with Merit in 2006. His career began at the double Sterling Prize winning practice Wilkinson Eyre Architects where he played a central role in the ‘Schools of the Future’ programme.Tom joined London based practice Consarc in 2006 and was made director in 2010. During this time he oversaw the completion of many exemplar award-winning projects spanning heritage, residential, workspace and hospitality sectors. Tom has 20 years experience as a Contract Administrator using multiple forms of contract including all forms of the JCT suite in listed building contexts.
Tom completed the Marathon des Sable Run to Rebuild to construct WC provisions in Limpopo South Africa. He has also took part in an exchange program with the University of Bogota focused on vernacular construction techniques using Adobe and Guadua bamboo and improving accessibility to sustainable construction techniques that support the local circular economy.
Relevant Appointments:
Quality Review Panel Member – OPDC, Harrow
RIBA Client Advisor
RIBA Guerrilla Tactics Steering Group Member
AECB Passivhaus Certified Designer
RIBA Student Mentor
Tim Coles
Senior Architect | BSc (Hons) DipArch ARB)
Tim has been a qualified architect since 2016, with a specialist interest in improving homes and cities with good design, championing sustainable projects with social benefit. This approach has been honed through Tim’s extensive experience working for both large and small practices including Grimshaw, Hawkins\Brown and Cousins & Cousins, on large scale projects where forming good working relationships was key to the success of the project. Joining Freehaus in 2022, Tim has supported the growth of the practice bringing new working methodologies and rigour shaped in previous practice. Tim demonstrates this passion in work across sectors, which includes a variety of higher education, community and residential projects; including leading on the extensive engagement and strategic design for the community-led vision for Acton and delivering the much celebrated Beyond the Bassline exhibition at the British Library.
Punya Sehmi
Senior Architect | MEng (Hons) DipArch ARB RIBA
Punya is an Architect and Educator with experience delivering projects within education and residential sectors, as well as with masterplanning and working with Listed Buildings. Punya is a QRP panel member for the LB of Hounslow.
Punya graduated from the University of Sheffield with First Class Honours in Structural Engineering and Architecture, and was awarded the John Carr memorial prize for the greatest distinction. She completed her architectural education at London Metropolitan University, and the Architectural Association attaining her Part 3 with Distinction.
A skilled designer and effective communicator, Punya joined Freehaus in 2021 as Project Architect where she is currently leading the £19million refurbishment to the iconic City of London School for Boys in collaboration with Morris+Company.
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Alongside his work at Freehaus, Tim assists with the charity - Habitat for Humanity, on social housing and community projects. This includes close collaboration with end users to understand their needs, develop a brief and develop funding strategies.A firm believer that education and mentoring of young people is key to ensuring a diverse, engaged and environmentally aware industry in the future, Tim has tutored and lectured at a university and professional level and has also run educational workshops with school children in the UK and abroad.
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Punya has worked for award-winning practices in London including Hawkins\Brown, Publica, and Tim Ronalds Architects as well as experience in Ghent with NU Architectuuratelier.She has been teaching in parallel with practice at London Metropolitan University since 2014, which contributes to her critical engagement with the profession. She is involved in Year 1 Design Studio and teaches across the school in the Professional Practice modules, recently co-coordinating the Advocacy module in the Postgraduate school, that asks the students to challenge their idea of the architect’s role against the backdrop of the complexities of the contemporary professional environment. She also maintains a role as Visiting Critic at a number of UK Universities including the University of Sheffield and the University of East London.
Outside of architectural practice Punya was a member of Voluntary Design and Build, a charity that designs and constructs projects as part of collaborative team with local charities and partners, winning the Small Projects Community Award in 2009 for their Tarlungeni Kindergarten in Romania.
Florence Barbour
Part I Architectural Assistant | BA(Hons)
Florence is a Part I Architectural Assistant at Freehaus. She graduated from the University of Sheffield, with First Class Honours in 2020 and joined Freehaus in 2023 where she is working alongside undertaking her postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Art.
Within her role as Part I Architectural Assistant, Flo supports the practice across project delivery at all scales and sectors.
Legend Morgan
Part II Architectural Assistant | BSc MArch (ARB/RIBA Part II)
Legend is a Part II Architectural Assistant, holding a BSc in Architecture from the University of East London and an MArch from Kingston University. Legend’s work focuses on creating moments of respite and awe within the thresholds that connect various scales of the built environment. This interest in liminal spaces was initially recognised during his studies when he was awarded the Stephen Lawrence Award for exemplary design. This passion now focuses on creating welcoming public areas within our residential and educational projects.
Legend is also our in-house BIM Coordinator. In this role Legend is responsible for developing and implementing our BIM strategies, working with all members of the team to streamline our working methodologies.
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Flo is music enthusiast and regularly DJ's at drum and bass DJ events.+ -Read More
Legend is adept at setting up and coordinating the delivering of BIM Level 2 projects. Supporting the rest of the team with the design, drafting and coordination required to develop and resolve architectural projects. He has worked on projects of various scales including a refurbishment for a Victorian terraced house and taken a leading role for a residential client in Wilton Way.Currently, Legend is working on an extensive refurbishment in the City of London to redevelop the City of London School, taking part in co-design workshops with members of staff and students, along with facilitating the modelling and coordination of the scheme to produce concise drawing information. Legend strives to investigate new ways to empower the end users of the built environment through active engagement. This interest in user autonomy has implored him to take part in engagement activities delivered within Acton aimed at gaining the voices and opinions of active residents in the area to help inform the Acton Strategic Vision.
Gus Eynon Richards
Part I Architectural Assistant | BA(Hons)
Gus is an Architectural Assistant at Freehaus with a year’s experience in practice working on a variety of projects of different scales, scopes and software strategies. Having obtained a first class degree and Bronze Medal Nomination from the University of Greenwich in 2023, he then received a commendation from the RIBA in their annual student medal awards and was also the winner of the RIBA London Student Awards.
His academic projects were inspired by memory, place and heritage in architecture, and he has explored this through academic research and writing and has supplemented this in practice at Freehaus by working across retrofit and sustainability focused projects.
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Gus joined Freehaus in 2024, having worked with Barr Gazetas Architects gaining experience across multiple projects from RIBA Stages 1-4, delivering documents including for planning, drawing sets and schedules including for tender.At Freehaus Gus is supporting the conclusion of our work with the community of the Angell Town Estate supporting the capacity and business case for 3 new community buildings. He is also part of the delivery team for our a new community centre in Lighthorne, Warwickshire which will provide a combined community and healthcare hub for the emerging village centre.
Safiya Adjaye
Studio Admin Assistant | BSc PgDip
Safiya is the Studio Admin Assistant at Freehaus, and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team. She graduated with a BSc in Media Production from De' Montfort University and a PgDip in Animation from Central St Martins.
Safiya's expertise extends to App UI design and software project development, showcasing a diverse skill set. Her long-standing interest in design and deep appreciation for architecture have further enriched her professional career. As the key contact for administration, Safiya leverages her project management experience and organisational abilities to foster an efficient and enjoyable working environment within the studio.
Special Thanks
At Freehaus we recognise that ‘to architect’ is a collaborative endeavour. Successes are born out of teamwork not individuals. We therefore want to say a very large thank you to our past team members that have contributed to the Freehaus journey over years. We simply wouldn’t be where we are today without their passion, experience and support.
Thank you.
Douglas Angel
Jess Annandale
Beatriz Fernandes
Matt Brown
Hester Buck
Mimi Evans
Will Fisher
Nick Gibbs
Niamh Lincoln
Maria Pakkenberg
Sorina Siddall
Kaia Wells
Holly Wilkins
Marysia Wisniewska
Jasmin Yeo
Laurence York