NEW YORK and BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Bona Design Lab and Harrison French & Associates Ltd. (HFA Architects and Engineers) have formed a strategic alliance.
The alliance combines HFA’s architecture, engineering and construction project delivery process with Bona’s experience in retail branding and new format design, offering solutions for clients’ freestanding convenience-store projects as well as larger sites incorporating stores, drive-thru windows, fuel—including petroleum and electric vehicle charging—and other services.
While the two entities will continue to operate independently, the strategic partnership allows clients of both firms to draw upon the experience of both companies. Over the years, HFA and Bona have collaborated on projects for such clients as Salt Lake City-based Maverik and Waltham, Mass.-based Global Partners.
“With technology playing an increasingly critical role in virtually every aspect of the retail proposition and competition intensifying, convenience retail companies have grown to recognize the need to streamline their project development process,” said James Owens, vice president of HFA.
“We are excited for this partnership because it allows our two firms to leverage each other’s talents and expertise to improve the overall speed-to-market for clients looking to execute faster and more aggressive project schedules,” said Owens. “Companies need to ensure they are integrating highly focused brand strategies, the latest innovations and specialized architecture and engineering services to help clients achieve successful retail transformations.,”
“Good design is never good enough. This complementary approach will provide retail clients with complete end-to-end solutions,” said Joseph Bona, president of the New York-based Bona Design Lab. “We believe that building construction efficiencies into the creative process will ultimately lead to better designed stores that function more efficiently and will save clients time and money. Branding and architecture are no longer seen as two separate disciplines, but rather one fully integrated process.”
HFA, based in Bentonville, Ark., offers integrated design, architecture and engineering services that have been deployed on more than 10,000 projects in all 50 states. Its integrated disciplines include architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, plumbing engineering, fire protection engineering, structural engineering, civil engineering, refrigeration and fueling design. HFA handles a range of projects across multiple industries.
Based in New York, Bona Design Lab is a global retail and design firm known for its work in c-store, food and fuel retailing. Its suite of services includes brand strategy development, consumer insights, naming and logo development, site planning, store layout, exterior and interior design and graphic design. Its capabilities in business analysis and consulting run the gamut from menu and communications strategies to equipment layout and workflow analysis, to financial metrics and operational consulting.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.