Formerly known as Regent Square URC, this is a church and community centre located in the heart of Bloomsbury, London. The congregation belongs to the United Reformed Church, which brings together formerly separate Presbyterian, Congregational and Church of Christ traditions.
After five years of hard work, the church were able to appoint Theis & Khan Architects to overhaul the space and create something that was not only a church but also a community centre and café, all located in the diverse area of King’s Cross and close to many colleges and tourist hotels. SPY won the project to create a strategy, name and brand for the place. It was critical to the church’s success that it worked for all audiences, from the congregation to the casual visitor.
Through a process of workshops with various stakeholders, interviews, questionnaires and consultation, SPY created the brand idea of ‘a source for all’, which could be extended to include: a source for the community, a source for enlightenment etc.
The brand – and its new name, Lumen - has implicit links to faith as well as to architectural elements of light in the now thriving space.