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by Imran Jahn on Sep 23, 2026
At the One Kilburn open meeting on 23rd September, Design Director Imran Jahn presented RISE Design Studio's early concept for a speculative new community pavilion behind the Grade II listed chapels at Paddington Old Cemetery. The project is pro bono. It started with an enquiry from a local resident in January, and it is shaped by the chapels' own 1855 architecture.
Early concept of the pavilion on the chapels' central axis, seen from the rear path at dusk: its folded slate roof sits between the two chapels and below the belfry, with café tables spilling onto a paved court.
An exploratory first enquiry
In January, local resident Tessa Morrison got in touch with us. A member of FoPOC, the Paddington Old Cemetery Friends group, she had attended Brent Council's Chapels Open Day in September 2024, and been inspired by the initial options presented for their restoration and repurposing as a community hub. These options included a new Pavilion to replace the outbuildings at the rear of the Chapels which are not part of the original design.
As no image for this Pavilion had been shown, she was keen to bring this concept to life.
We met her at the chapels a few days later, and it was the start of a real collaboration. Tessa followed up with historic drawings, Richard Griffiths Architects' 2021 Design and Access Statement and a set of references to stimulate our thinking:
- Peter Zumthor's 2011 Serpentine Pavilion: a dark, quiet exterior leading to a light and surprising interior.
- Oscar Niemeyer's 2003 Serpentine Pavilion: a single sculptural gesture.
- Tadao Ando's Church of Light: how a small space can feel sacred.
- Timber scissor-truss chapels and pavilions: how an expressive roof structure can turn a simple room into something cathedral-like.
Those references stayed with us throughout the design.
Tessa has led this project entirely pro bono for more than two years. She has spoken to dozens of local businesses, groups and residents about what the chapels could become. We are working pro bono too.
Paddington Old Cemetery today: Thomas Little's 1855 chapels at the heart of the cemetery's tree-lined paths, with Trellick Tower and the north-west London skyline beyond.
The chapels: a Victorian landmark
The chapels were designed by Thomas Little and completed in 1855. Little also designed the chapel at Nunhead Cemetery. Paddington was one of London's first public cemeteries after the Metropolitan Interment Act of 1850.
- The layout: Little arranged the cemetery around a geometric horseshoe of tree-lined paths, with the chapels at its centre.
- The buildings: twin Gothic chapels in Kentish ragstone, linked by two arched porte-cochères and a central belfry. The West chapel was for Anglicans and the East chapel for Nonconformists.
- Protection: the entire cemetery is Grade II listed, and the chapels have been listed since 1982.
Today the chapels sit empty and in poor condition. Behind them is a later block of toilets and stores that can no longer serve a modern community building.
Early concept of the pavilion's timber-framed gable and café terrace, opening onto the cemetery path with graves and mature trees beyond.
Starting in the archive
A building this significant deserves to be understood before anything new is drawn beside it. In February, we joined Tessa at the RIBA Drawings and Archives Collection at the V&A to study the original drawings of the chapels.
We then built an accurate 3D digital model of the chapels. This let us test every idea against the real proportions, rooflines and sightlines of Little's buildings. We have since shared the model with the university students who are taking the next stage forward.
Early concept of the pavilion interior: a timber lattice roof rises into the four peaks above a café, gallery wall and communal tables, with full-height glazing opening onto the cemetery landscape.
QPK at the Chapels
Tessa's consultation produced a clear community vision, QPK at the Chapels (Queen's Park and Kilburn). It remains a speculative proposal, built around three complementary spaces:
- The East chapel: a U3A learning centre offering affordable classes and interest groups for adults.
- The West chapel: kept as a memorial chapel for funerals and remembrance, also available for respectful hire for concerts, rehearsals and events.
- A new pavilion: a community food hub and gathering space that replaces the rear outbuildings with modern, wheelchair-accessible facilities.
The community food hub is at the heart of the vision. It could help tackle food insecurity and isolation, support refugee and migrant groups, teach cooking and budgeting skills, and give local chefs a place to build a following. A Long Gallery would show and sell work by local artists.
Early concept from above: the pavilion's square, four-peaked roof sits on the chapels' central axis, within the geometric pattern of paths laid out by Thomas Little in 1855.
The design: four peaks
We tested eight options in our Stage 1 report, from pavilions attached to the chapels to fully detached "island" buildings. Each was judged on form, scale, materiality, approach, views and connection. Option 8 emerged as the preferred direction.
- Taken from the chapels themselves. The chapels' frontage is defined by four pitched gables: the two chapel ends and the two porte-cochères. We lifted those four peaks directly from the elevation and set them around a square plan, rotated to face the approach.
- Centred and respectful. The pavilion sits on the chapels' central axis, behind the belfry. A slim glazed corridor gallery links it back to the historic building, and each chapel keeps clear space on either side.
- Revealed, not announced. From the main drive off Willesden Lane, the pavilion is largely screened by the chapels. It appears as you pass through the porte-cochère arches, framed by 19th-century stonework.
- A cathedral of timber. Inside, an exposed timber lattice rises into the four peaks above a calm stone and concrete interior. Full-height glazing opens onto the cemetery landscape, with a slate roof to match the chapels.
- Compact and practical. The pavilion is around 10 m by 10 m (about 95 m²), with a café servery and a flexible room for dining, workshops, exhibitions and events. New WCs and changing space sit in the renovated rear link, with herb gardens and outdoor seating on a new paved court.
Early concept of the pavilion beside the chapels' belfry and porte-cochère arch: a steep slate gable over a glazed café opening onto an accessible terrace, framed by new planting.
Sharing it with Kilburn
We presented the concept at the One Kilburn open meeting at the OK Club. The morning also covered the One Kilburn Community Fund, One Kilburn's growing WhatsApp community and plans for new governance.
The questions from the room were thoughtful:
- Heritage: the chapels and landscape were designed to be seen from every angle, so the bar is rightly very high. Historic England is likely to be a key funder and will scrutinise the detail.
- Public and private space: how open the pavilion feels will shape how well it works.
- Access: the site is well served by public transport, but elderly and disabled visitors to family graves still need to be able to reach it.
We welcome all of this. As Tessa said on the day, this is a starting point for the community to shape, not a finished product.
What happens next
- Middlesex University: around 70 students from Year 2, Year 3 and the MA programme, led by Francesca Murialdo, begin work on the site this week. They will develop their own ideas with residents, using our 3D model as a base.
- Brent Council: One Kilburn will ask Brent for an update on its plans for the chapels.
- Funding: the aim is to bring together Brent, heritage funders and private philanthropy. The pavilion also offers a naming opportunity for a charitable trust or donor.
Get involved
If you have ideas for the chapels or the pavilion, we would love to hear them. Please do get in touch at architects@risedesignstudio.co.uk and we will pass your thoughts on to Tessa.
RISE Design Studio also designed the second screen at the Lexi Cinema in Kensal Rise, another community-led project we are proud to be part of.
→ Email us at architects@risedesignstudio.co.uk
→ Or call the studio on 020 3947 5886
Frequently asked questions
Where are the Paddington Old Cemetery chapels?
The chapels stand at the centre of Paddington Old Cemetery on Willesden Lane, Kilburn, London NW6 7SD, in the London Borough of Brent. Designed by Thomas Little and completed in 1855, they are twin Gothic chapels linked by arched porte-cochères and a central belfry.
Are the chapels listed?
Yes. The chapels have been Grade II listed since 1982. The listing covers the entire cemetery, including later additions that are not part of the original 1855 design. Any new work on the site needs listed building consent and careful heritage assessment.
What is QPK at the Chapels?
QPK at the Chapels is a speculative community vision for the chapels, developed by local resident Tessa Morrison through two years of consultation. It proposes a U3A learning centre in the East chapel, a memorial and events space in the West chapel, and a new pavilion with a community food hub.
Has the new pavilion been approved?
No. The pavilion is an early, speculative concept. It has no planning or listed building consent and no confirmed funding. Brent Council owns the site and would need to decide on any proposals. The design is intended to show what is possible and to support community conversation.
Who designed the pavilion concept?
RISE Design Studio, a RIBA Chartered architecture practice, developed the concept pro bono with Tessa Morrison. Its four-peaked roof is taken from the four gables of the chapel frontage. The design was presented at the One Kilburn open meeting in September 2026.
How can I share my ideas for the chapels?
We would love to hear from you. Please do get in touch at architects@risedesignstudio.co.uk and we will pass your ideas on to Tessa. You can also follow updates through One Kilburn and the Friends of Paddington Old Cemetery (FoPOC).
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