Retail spaces have become cultural touchpoints that shape how people experience brands, connect with products, and make purchasing decisions. Behind every striking storefront or carefully crafted interior lies a collaboration: architects with the vision, and craftspeople who know how to bring those ideas to life in the real world.
So, this World Architecture Day, we’re celebrating the architects we’re lucky enough to work alongside. Their creativity challenges us, inspires us, and makes every project a chance to build something meaningful together.
The Architect’s Eye for People
We recently sat down with two of our long-time architectural partners to explore how ALCLAD and architects collaborate to bring bold designs to life as functional, buildable stores. For Sarah Tröh, Director/Senior Architectural Technologist at GAPP Architects and Urban Designers, and Adrian Whines, CEO of BRAND DNA, people remain at the heart of retail design.
Sarah believes the real joy of design is in crafting spaces that people can use and enjoy, rather than producing showpieces that only look impressive from the outside. Her team’s approach is to meet a client’s intent while ensuring the environment is attractive, functional, and enjoyable to shop in.
Adrian, with roots in interior design since 1995, likens the process to making art: “It’s like sculpting a space. Each project is a fresh challenge, an opportunity to create an environment that reflects a brand’s DNA and resonates with its customers.”
Partnerships Built on Trust
The partnerships between ALCLAD and architects have spanned several decades. In 2015, Sarah and the GAPP team began working with us when the global retailer H&M entered the South African market. The early flagship stores, including the one in Sandton, had tight deadlines and required meticulous attention to detail. ALCLAD’s role was to collaborate with the architects on mock-ups and solutions that met H&M’s standards.
Adrian recalls working with ALCLAD on projects such as Old Mutual Bank, where our expertise helped bring his team’s vision to life. “Our collaboration is holistic, professional, and resourceful. They [ALCLAD] are fast at quoting, deeply involved in finding solutions, and they bring all disciplines under one roof.”
What both firms seem to value most is consistency. For us, that means keeping communication clear, offering practical solutions, and paying close attention to detail.
Turning Ideas into Reality
Architects dream in bold strokes, but the reality of construction is often shaped by constraints like materials, timelines, and technical feasibility. ALCLAD’s role is to work alongside architects to bridge that gap.
Sarah points out that contractors often face limitations with local materials, for example. In those moments, we work together to find alternatives that keep the design intact and the project moving forward. Sometimes it’s as simple as testing a mock-up or rethinking a detail until it works on site. Adrian sums it up well: collaboration works best when there’s mutual respect. As he puts it, “Treat the build teams with respect, they actually do know more than you.”
Trends and the Future of Retail Spaces
Retail design is evolving quickly, shaped by consumer expectations and global shifts.
Sarah refers to a growing trend of “turning the box inside out”. In essence, opening retail buildings to shopping precincts rather than enclosing them in traditional malls.
Meanwhile, other architects are exploring bolder aesthetics, from colour blocking to polygonal edge design. The emphasis is on adaptability, simplicity, and uniqueness in a sea of sameness.
Crafting Spaces That Last
At the end of the day, it’s collaboration that drives innovation in retail design. Bold ideas only become buildable when architects and shopfitting specialists work together to bridge vision and practicality.
On that note, we say Happy World Architecture Day to Sarah, Adrian, and to all the architects we’re fortunate enough to work alongside. Your vision keeps us inspired, and your trust makes every project possible.