Designing the future: Buchan’s Phil Schoutrop and the power of the LFRA Overseas Study Tour
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Each year, the Large Format Retail Association Overseas Study Tour provides a unique lens into the global future of Large Format Retail, and for more than a decade, Buchan’s Phil Schoutrop has been at the heart of it.
As Principal and Sector Lead for Precincts at Buchan, Phil has helped shape the look and feel of Australia’s Large Format Retail environments, but also how Large Format Retail Association members experience global best practice. Under his guidance, the Overseas Study Tours are more than insightful site visits but rather, strategic, industry-shaping experiences that deliver real outcomes for the sector.
“We’re not just walking through buildings, we’re decoding the thinking behind them,” says Phil. “Design, consumer behaviour, tenancy mix, sustainability, scale, it all plays a role in how a successful retail environment functions today.”
Phil’s deep experience, spanning more than 25 years in Large Format Retail architecture and design, has seen Buchan partner with key industry players like Spotlight, Anaconda, Harvey Norman, HMC, The Super Group, IKEA, and Bunnings, designing and delivering over a million square metres of Large Format Retail across Australia and New Zealand.
It is also his role as the Large Format Retail Association’s Overseas Study Tour ‘leader’ that gives him a unique perspective on what’s next for the sector.
A front row seat to global trends and innovation
This year’s tour, spanning Texas to Florida, offered delegates an unparalleled look at how the US is adapting to population growth, digital disruption, and shifting consumer preferences. Amid economic uncertainties, retailers are innovating by creating immersive, emotionally resonant experiences that go beyond the traditional. These strategies aim to deepen customer engagement and foster brand loyalty in a challenging economic landscape.
Phil led behind-the-scenes access to mixed-use mega-precincts such as Grandscape in Dallas, and Brickell City Centre in Miami.
“What we’re seeing in the US is not just scale, but diversity and amenity,” says Phil. “Entertainment-led anchors like COSM at Grandscape in Dallas and Topgolf at the Doral Large Format Retail precinct in Miami, Wellness-focused operators like Planet Fitness, and immersive flagships like Apple Aventura are all redefining how people come together in retail space. And that has enormous implications for the composition of Large Format Retail in Australia.”
The role of design thinking
As Phil puts it, “Design isn’t a surface-level decision. It’s embedded in how you attract tenants, how long people stay, how much they spend, and most importantly how often they return. These tours help our industry make better, more confident decisions—grounded in what’s working elsewhere.”
With ongoing urban intensification and pressure on traditional formats, Large Format Retail must continue to evolve. Thanks to the work of Phil and his team at Buchan, the sector is equipped not only with inspiration, but with a roadmap.
