Every month we pose 7 questions to a Chamber member, this time it’s Alex Whitmore of PF+A
- Who are you & what do you do?
I am father, husband, surfer, mate and a Director or Architectural Practice PF+A. I run PF+A along with Founder Peter Falla. I love to design but I do spend much of my time working on running the business – it could be any business really! But clearly our focus is Architecture.
I like to drive the design and sustainability agenda within the company as well as the effectiveness of our efforts.
- How long have you been doing this?
I have been doing this for over 25 years! Starting knowing very little and working my way up to a Director in my early thirties.
There have been significant ups and downs over the years, mostly ups I must say, but the last 5 or so have been fairly challenging. It has been really interesting; we have experienced much as a company, challenged ourselves and made big decisions. We tried to crack Jersey but it didn’t work out, but there were some positives, again, learning a lot along the way.
- How did you get into this field?
It’s a cliche, but I wanted to be an Architect when I was in my early teens. However I didn’t really focus at school and didn’t put the effort in to make the grades for Architecture School.. so I muddled through and then managed to do a degree in Environmental Science -that was before the effects of Global Warming that we are now seeing today.
Post Uni I worked in Finance for 18 months before landing an opportunity to pursue my early passion of Architecture with the legendary Pete Falla at PF+A! And the rest, as they say, is history !
- What’s the ‘why’ behind your work?
I think it has evolved quite significantly over the years.
Right now it is about developing a really positive and motivated team who want to be here and believe in working together and backing each other.
For me it has become more about encouraging others to develop and progress, and equally, to produce considered and appropriate architecture as a collective. Sustainability is a real driver for me now, and I try to encourage this in all I do.
- How do you approach problem-solving?
I try and stay calm and remind myself that this is probably not the most important thing in the world, but I find I have to deal with challenges or situations swiftly and fairly, I can’t sit on things or ignore challenges. I will seek advice when required, and often a few heads are better than one. But then sometimes someone has to act and push things forward, and that’s often me.
- What book has shaped your life and why?
Let My People Go Surfing – By Yvon Chouinard. He is the Founder of Patagonia – and it’s not 
about surfing!! Amazing book.
- Tea, Coffee or something a little stronger?
Since a surf trip to Morocco 5 or so years ago I hammer a hot lemon and ginger!, i think it’s good for me… and then to counteract that (!) my favourite tipple has to be a really good Bordeaux wine!
