We are architects and urban designers with a diverse portfolio and a trusted reputation for high-quality design. Guided by a strong moral and social purpose, we use our skills to make a tangible, positive impact on people’s quality of life, now and for generations to come.
Our work is rooted in a commitment to the communities we serve and to actively reducing our impact on the planet. With expertise in low-carbon design and complex urban regeneration, we create places that are both environmentally and socially sustainable.
We contribute to the social fabric and built heritage through thoughtfully crafted architecture that enriches its surroundings and leaves a positive, lasting legacy.
Our ambition is complemented by a fundamental understanding of the technical, financial and practical realities, ensuring that our designs are viable, deliverable and, most importantly, desirable.
We are Bell Phillips.
We create places people love
Building inclusive, equitable and inspiring spaces that foster a sense of belonging and help communities to flourish is at the heart of what we do. A meaningful approach to engagement and co-design is what makes this possible. To us, social value extends beyond the red line, which is why we use our platform to advocate for a fairer built environment.
We build for the future
Our approach to design and practice is shaped by the latest evidence and guided by a genuine commitment to doing better. Taking an active role in addressing the climate emergency, we embed sustainability principles across our studio operations and throughout the creative process. We are constantly evolving our designs to help our clients deliver resilient and adaptable places on the pathway to net-zero.
We build trusted, collaborative relationships
Listening carefully and working collaboratively is how we operate because we understand that the most successful and celebrated projects are shaped through partnerships with clients, collaborators and communities – built on trust, communication and shared ambition. Our value is felt not only through our innovative design solutions, but through how we work.
Bell Phillips
Smithfield
Burgess Park Sports Pavilion
The Jazz Yard
Victoria Point Student Housing
High Street Swanley
Brooks Road Estate
Cosway Street
Harwell Hide
Orwell House
Church Street
Joyce Newman House
The Tree House
Gasholder Park
Southwark Housing
Jellicoe Gardens Pavilion
Riverside Road
Granary Square Pavilion
The Mitchell Building
Ealing Passivhaus
Styles House
Southwark Park Pavilion
Sutton Housing
495–500 Abbey Road
St. Chad’s
Marklake Court
Bracelet Close
The Echoes
Bruyn’s Court
Greenwich Housing
Newham Housing
Sherwood Terrace
Heron Court
Bell Phillips was established in 2004 when our co-founders, Tim Bell and Hari Phillips, won an international design competition to deliver a major regeneration project in East London on behalf of the London Borough of Newham. Today we are based at our riverfront studio in Wapping, and our team of 30 is led by directors Tim Bell, Melissa Dowler, Jay Morton, Tom Morgan and India James.
Our work is regularly featured in awards, exhibitions and publications, and our senior leadership team contribute to several Quality Review Panels, shaping best practice throughout the UK. We work across sectors and at all stages - from feasibility and concept development through to planning, technical design and construction.
What makes Bell Phillips a vibrant place to work is the combination of skills we bring together and the genuinely collaborative way in which we use them. We select our team for their passion, intelligence and talent, and we welcome applications from professionals who share our commitment to creating uplifting places, designing for the future, and respecting our communities, collaborators and the environment.
Rooted in an egalitarian approach, we make space for every member of the team to take ownership of their role and shape the direction of the practice. Our special interest groups keep us moving forward, individually and collectively, across areas including BIM, sustainability, social value, retrofit, post-occupancy, policy, technologies and technical design.
As a studio we organise regular events and activities such as volunteering, staff lunches, walking tours and parties, as well as a range of staff-led sports clubs including softball, badminton and run club. We have trained mental health first aiders and mentors to provide support and advice.
Everyone's contribution at Bell Phillips is valued. Our benefits are designed to support both professional development and a healthy work-life balance.
We believe architecture must deliver value not only through the buildings we design, but through how we work, recruit, collaborate and give back to the profession. We strongly believe that a diversity of voices enhances our ability to collaborate and the quality of our work.
In a sector that often lacks female-representation, we are proud that our team achieves gender parity at every level, including the board. We continue to strengthen representation through open recruitment and transparent, fair pay structures. We are signatories to the Mayor's Diversity Pledge and the RIBA Inclusion Charter, and we also helped to establish the London Practice Forum Ethical Charter.
We recognise that some minorities remain underrepresented at Bell Phillips and are taking positive action to address this. We actively encourage applications from under represented groups and use blind recruitment to ensure candidates are assessed on merit against objective criteria.
View our practice policies
If you would like to apply for a vacancy, or to make a speculative application, please complete the recruitment form below.
