“If you want something, just make it!” goes the personal mantra of Santa Barbara designer Alex Wyndham. Those seven words encompass the designer’s creative spunk that launched his building career and continues to bring his whimsical designs to life.
Wyndham opened his design business a mere six months ago, though he is anything but a novice. While he designs buildings of all sizes, Wyndham ventured into tiny architecture in 2009, after building the Hawk House, a seven-by-nine-foot cabaña with a breathtaking panoramic ocean view. The redwood bark walls and wildflower-covered roof embody his design philosophy: “The design of the building should relate really closely to the site and the environment around it … buildings should enhance the ecosystems around them,” he says.
Only one exam away from his full architect's license, Wyndham began his career with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies. After graduating from UCSB, Wyndham worked as an ecologist, studying how organisms interact with their respective environments. But Wyndham wanted more. “I’ve always been creative and have always liked to draw,” he explains. Wyndham went on to complete his master’s in architecture at the University of Oregon.