About | Unknown Works

Ben Hayes

BSc Arch (Hons) MArch (Dis) ARB

Founding Director

Ben is an architect, researcher and educator. Prior to co founding Unknown Works, Ben was Project Architect at Niall McLaughlin Architects working on a number public and private projects in the UK, including the RIBA Stephen Laurence prize winning project The Fishing Hut, Hampshire House shortlisted for RIBA house of the year and the Mies Van der Rohe Prize shortlisted Welcome Building of Auckland Castle.

Formerly Ben held a senior research position at Rural Urban Lab at the University of Hong Kong exploring the processes of rural to urban transformation across Asia. Ben previously worked at Foster + Partners in both the London and Beijing offices on a number of high profile international projects including Apple Headquarters at Cupertino and a National Art Museum of China in Datong, China.

Ben is a Lecturer and runs a design studio at the Bartlett School of Architecture at UCL and has taught on the postgraduate programme at the University of Hong Kong.

Ben was awarded the RIBA Silver Medal in 2013.

Kaowen Ho

BSc Arch (Hons) MArch (Dis) ARB

Founding Director

Kaowen was educated at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London. Prior to co founding Unknown Works Kaowen gained extensive experience at renowned architecture practices including Heatherwick Studio, Haptic Architects, Henn Studio and Foster + Partners.

His experience ranges from leading the commercial and retail design for Changi Airport T5, Singapore, to detailed technical design and delivery of new Google workspaces in Mountain View, CA.

He has been involved with major international architectural projects including the design of the New Istanbul Airport roof alongside Grimshaw Architects and the winning competition for Haikou Tower, now under construction.

Kaowen also has in-depth experience delivering a host of bespoke private residential projects in West London and Oxfordshire. He has designed and overseen a number of heritage and residential projects, including the redevelopment of the listed building Leys Field Barn in the Oxfordshire countryside as well as numerous conservation area projects in Notting Hill.

Theo Games Petrohilos

BSc Arch (Hons) MArch (Dis) ARB

Founding Director

Theo is an architect, designer, illustrator, and educator. Theo co founded Unknown Works after leaving Studio Egret West where he led a wide portfolio of projects at all scales and stages of development, in both the realms of Architecture and Urban design. This included large scale development and infrastructure projects.

Theo represented SEW on the TFL Design Governance Board, a high level body which reviews and guides projects coming forward on the network. He undertook an extensive feasibility study for Lewisham Station and Interchange (LSI) with collaborator Atkins, for clients TFL and Lewisham Council.

Theo co-authored the London Underground Design Idiom which seeks to re-define how one of London’s most defining networks is designed. Theo led sew’s work on LU’s ‘Integrated Station Program’ (ISP). A project for the reimagining and rebuilding of a large tranche of stations across the underground network.

Theo is a masters tutor at the London School of Architecture and is a visiting critic at the Bartlett, University College London.