Faces of Design

Story by Barry Kaufman, Photography by Lisa Staff, Local Life Magazine, March 2020

Sineath’s introduction to the Lowcountry came in the late ’70s when the firm was hired to design signage and structures in Sea Pines, Shipyard and Port Royal. “I dealt with people who were instrumental in designing the Hilton Head Island character as we know it,” he said.

He was hooked on that character, and saw his future in helping tell its story as the island grew. Moving to the island, he helped develop the visual languages for Northridge and Main Street, among others. “I was a perfect fit for the island, and I knew I would be because I’d designed signs for Sawgrass and a bunch of projects in Florida.”

His flair for design and his painstaking precision would soon see him designing far beyond signage. Designing and building his Hilton Head Plantation home was just the start of a phase in his career that saw him designing clubs, buildings and resorts.

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Corporate brands build differently on Hilton Head

By Dan Burley, The Island Packet, January 17, 2015

The [Town of Hilton Head Island’s] guidelines were inspired by Hilton Head's early developers, said local sign designer Alex Sineath. Their philosophy was to disguise development.

"We call it the 'squint-and-you-don't-see-it' philosophy," he said. "Everything should blend. If you squint, you shouldn't be able to see that building."

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