This month, SGA promoted two key retail architects, Hal Staples and Jeff Dalton, to Senior Associate positions. Together, Hal and Jeff share a wide-range of experience including retail architecture. We recently sat down and talked with them about sustainable design, retail architecture, retail design, hotel work, and training as a hot dog artisan.
Hal Staples
In three words, describe what SGA does.
Service, relationships and people.
What do you like most about SGA?
Our internal sense of family and focus on integrity. I’ve been lucky enough to be with SGA since the beginning of my career, so I don’t have much “outside” experience in the profession. But I’ve heard many times over the years that these are just a few of the things that make SGA unique.
In your own words, describe the importance of sustainable architecture.
Well, it’s a statistic we’ve all been hearing for years, really since the sustainable movement became mainstream, that buildings and the construction industry account for, I believe, roughly half of the world’s energy use. This was the obvious place to begin to solve the problem. It’s clear that we can’t just keep building the same as we always have. The impact of some of our clients and the retail industry responding to the need for more sustainable materials along with construction methods really seems to have increased the pace of change.
What is the most significant parallel you see between retail design and sustainable architecture?
Retail buildings and spaces, by their nature, are used by large numbers of people daily and need to be updated frequently due to rapidly changing trends, demographics, customer shopping habits, etc. It really only made sense that this would be one of the segments of the construction industry most affected by sustainable measures.
Before working at SGA, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
I had a summer job in college as a banquet houseman at a large hotel. You would be surprised how interesting the bowels of a busy hotel can be.
If given a chance, who would you like to be for a day?
Superman, of course!
Jeff Dalton
In three words, describe what SGA does.
Response Driven Architecture.
What do you like most about SGA?
The nature of our work makes every day unique. Our firm’s culture also provides great opportunities to grow and interact, as both coworkers and as an extended family. Plus company events involving food are never a bad thing.
In your own words, describe the importance of sustainable architecture.
We are building the future for our generation and the next; everything we do needs to be smart, well executed and done purposely. It is our responsibility to lead our clients in the right direction and it starts with material selection and extends to specific certifications as desired.
What is the most significant parallel you see between retail design and sustainable architecture?
Retail design predominantly entails buildings with greater square footage, which provides that much more of an opportunity and incentive to find products and systems that work for both, the client and the environment.
Before working at SGA, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
My first real job, which I had in high school, was working as a hot dog artisan at Hot Dog Alley in Bentonville, AR.
If given a chance, who would you like to be for a day?
A printmaker and winemaker in the hills of Tuscany, outside of Firenze.