Alex Featured in the Media

What do you do?

I help run PF+A Ltd, an energetic architectural practice, with my fellow directors, Peter Falla and John Hibbs.

What are the most important lessons this job has taught you?

To listen, to compromise, to work hard, to be understanding, to be flexible, but to stick to your guns if you feel strongly about something. One other thing that I have learned is that working hard does not always bring success, you need to ‘work smarter’ too.

What is the most enjoyable part of your job?

Designing buildings – and alongside that, is seeing a client’s excited response to their new home.

What is challenging about your job?

The most challenging part for me is managing people – or trying to manage people and situations – it can be all consuming at times.

If you were not at PF+A what would you be doing?

If I wasn’t happily married with three kids, I would be travelling the world surfing.

3 words to describe your management style?

I have no idea – you’d have to ask the team, but I hope I am motivating, respectful and lead by example.

What motivates you?

Trying to give my family a good standard of living and to make the most of life motivates me. This can be expensive at times! I am motivated to provide the best service and design solutions for our clients, purely because I like to be good at what I do and I care about what people think.

What would you still like to achieve?

I would like to grow and improve PF+A in all aspects. I think the directors have the capacity and appetite to head up additional services in the construction sector. Also, I have yet to design my own home from scratch. I have renovated homes, remodelled and even converted a packing shed into our current house. A new build would be a fun challenge, but not just yet.

Best piece advice?

I like what Le Corbusier said about architecture: that “a house should be a tool for living”. This is absolutely right and there always has to be a healthy balance between aesthetics and function.