We are thrilled to announce Tyler Hansel as BPA’s newest graduate architect. Tyler is a recent graduate from Utah Valley University, where he completed his bachelor’s degree in architecture. Tyler’s creativity and design approach are great additions to our studio, and we are so excited to have him on the team.
Learn more about Tyler below!
Where are you from, and what brought you to Birmingham (or to BPA)?
I was born in Italy, grew up mostly in Kansas, and went to school in Utah. Some close family friends moved to Huntsville a few years ago and have been trying to get us to move to Alabama ever since. After finishing school, I wanted to move somewhere where I could afford to buy a house for my two kids to run around. I was interested in working at BPA because they are an AXP exemplary firm and I loved the culture.
What are you currently into? (Book/podcast/show/album/hobby you’d recommend.)
We were trying to think of a fun, patriotic movie we could watch with the kids for the Fourth and decided on Captain America. We have now begun watching all of the Marvel movies in narrative order… Only 52 more movies to go…
If you could spend a day in someone else’s shoes (designer, artist, chef, athlete—anyone), who would it be and why?
Speaking of Marvel, it would be pretty sweet to be Spider-man for a day. He’s my favorite and definitely the best one.
What are some fun facts about you?
I did a lot of random things to pay my way through school. One of them was being a background actor in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. You can see me in Season 2, Episodes 5, 8, and 10.
What is your favorite TV show/shows currently?
My all-time favorite shows are Psych, Monk, and Chuck. They’re so good! I’ve been wanting to rewatch them for a while.
What made you want to study architecture/interior design?
The PathwayU Self-Discovery Assessments. When I started school, I originally chose construction management because it was less schooling than architecture. During my first semester, I didn’t love my classes. So, when I got an email from my school about a career aptitude test, I took it. Construction management: poor match. Architecture: very strong match. Luckily, my school just so happened to have started an architecture program, and even more luckily, I got in. But really, I love the combination of technical skills, creativity, and problem-solving.
What was your favorite vacation or dream vacation destination?
When I got married, my wife had just gotten back from a church mission in the Philippines, so she didn’t want to go anywhere tropical. Fortunately, we both had always wanted to go to Alaska, so we went to Fairbanks for our honeymoon. It was so fun and so beautiful! Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see the northern lights, which just means we’ll have to go back.