Samantha Flores

Since 2012, Samantha Sandra Flores—a registered architect and interior designer—has built an accomplished career at Corgan, a prominent architecture and design firm in Dallas, Texas, starting as an architect and designer in its aviation practice. As part of the job in her early years at the company, she conducted extensive research into cultures, the passenger experience, and how to build airport terminals and concourses to lower stress and anxiety levels. She was one of the lead designers on a project for the South Satellite Concourse at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, a competition she and her team won, during which she visited China, learned about the culture in Shanghai, and designed with local aesthetics, needs, and preferences based on interviews with people. After five years, she proposed the firm establish a research and innovation section that cataloged and tracked emerging technologies, conducted experimentation or investigative studies into human behavior and how technology drives design work, and focuses on experiential design. She now excels as the vice president and director of Hugo, the research and innovation section she developed and launched in 2018, through which she leads a multidisciplinary team of architects, design researchers, UX/UI specialists, and data strategists who create immersive and engaging environments for numerous clients and sectors—across all market areas, including commercial architecture, aviation, data centers, education, interior design, and health care. Over the course of her projects at the company, Ms. Flores has demonstrated her wide range of skills in architectural design, research, innovation, communication, and collaboration.

Reflecting on her time at Corgan, Ms. Flores is proudest of many projects, including the development a user strategy and wayfinding analysis for several major airport terminals, designing an eVTOL skyport that integrates smart city features and sustainability practices, and exploring emerging markets for experiential design in aviation, health care, education, and hospitality; she was also involved in the development of a fully operational mobile data center. As a testament to her design excellence and leadership, she has been honored as a Caudill Fellow finalist and an Alpha Rho Chi medalist, and has earned a Corgan Prize from Corgan Leadership and a Phil Mein Prize for design excellence. She is a dedicated member of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and the American Institute of Architects.

Attributing her success to her family’s support, Ms. Flores’ parents supported her through college, earning a Bachelor of Architecture from Oklahoma State University, and then a master’s program, a Master of Architecture from Princeton University. Her sister, also, has been with her every step of the way, exploring different cultures around the world with her. In addition, she has been involved in an emerging leaders program, which helped to gain her confidence in leadership responsibilities. She also served as an executive leadership mentor who helped her move from different positions within the firm to where she is today; she has additionally worked with advocates throughout Corgan who inspired, motivated, supported, and advocated for her.

Looking toward the future, Ms. Flores hopes to establish a practice at the firm that’s more experimental, exploratory, and sustainable. She is constantly supported and motivated by her husband, Jerry, and their daughter, Ellie.