Will Anderson was born in Borneo, grew up in Scotland, spent a gap year in
India, went to college in the Fens and has lived for the last seventeen years
in London. He has taken a deliberately lateral (some would say sideways)
approach to his working life, changing career on a regular basis in order to
develop new skills, explore new worlds and avoid getting bored.
A degree in Theology and Religious Studies was the perfect training for an
early career in health service management. This led to work in local
government and the voluntary sector where he latterly ran an information
organisation addressing the needs of people living with HIV. An interest in
the origins of the material he was publishing led to a Masters in Social
Science Research Methods and a lead role in studies exploring the social
experience of medicine and the involvement of patients in health service
decision-making.
Another Masters, this time in Energy and Sustainable Development, signalled a change of direction away from health
and into an area of longstanding interest: environmental design and policy. This coincided with an opportunity to build
a house in central London, an opportunity he has exploited to the full in pursuing his ecological and design ambitions.
Will is an experienced writer, editor, designer, researcher, manager and self-builder. He hopes to use this mix of skills to
promote sustainable design in whatever way he can. He currently works freelance, combining eco-journalism with
ongoing research and policy work in the health field. Clients include The Independent, Timber Building, the Department
of Health, the Greater London Assembly and Diabetes UK.
Will Anderson is a writer with a passion for combining the best of things, be it ecological performance, architecture or
design. He lives in Clapham, south London, where he spent over three years designing and building a house that fully
expresses this passion, a house that combines exceptional environmental credentials with stunning design. This is the
subject of his first book, Diary of an Eco-Builder (Green Books, 2006).
Now he has finished building his Tree House in Clapham, Will is dreaming of building a low-tech ecovillage in the
Scottish Borders.
Will’s website is www.treehouseclapham.org.uk
