Tom Henson worked alongside architect Peter Becker for 15 years, collaborating on dozens of projects, from small additions and remodels to extensive renovations and all-new estate homes, like the one pictured. Becker passed away in 2016, leaving his firm — Becker Henson Niksto Architects — in the able hands of Henson and Jacob Niksto, who work out of downtown Santa Barbara’s historic Flying A Studio.
As you’ll read below, childhood playthings planted the design seed very early on, and Henson’s scholarly pursuits sent him to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for a double major in structural engineering and architecture, which turned out to be highly complementary skill sets in Santa Barbara’s high-end realm of homebuilding. You’ll also read about his creative zone of happiness and where he ranks his friend and mentor Peter Becker, a man with whom he spent 15 “of the happiest, most fulfilling years of my life,” he said.
What drew you to architecture and design early on? I’ve been excited about architecture and design for as long as I can remember. I think it started with Lincoln Logs in kindergarten.