A photo of Steven R. Upchurch

Steven R. Upchurch, AIA

Co‑Managing Director, Principal

Steven is a Co-Managing Director of Gensler’s Dallas office and an accomplished hospitality and entertainment practice area leader. He serves on Gensler’s Management Committee with a focus on client relationships and long-term, global market strategies.

With more than three decades of design, planning, management, and real estate development experience, he has been recognized as one of Dallas’ most influential business leaders by D CEO magazine. Steven is known for his leadership on several signature mixed-use, sciences, entertainment, and hospitality projects, including the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Beverly Hills, The Grand Hyatt at Seoul’s Incheon Airport, American Airlines Headquarters, Universal Studios Kids Resort in Texas, the Loews Hollywood Hotel, and the award-winning restoration of the Belmond El Encanto Resort in Santa Barbara. He applies his knowledge of local and international markets to deliver innovative hospitality design solutions and memorable experiences.

Steven earned his Bachelor of Architecture from Kansas State University and founded a scholarship with the KSU Foundation awarded annually to students enrolled in the Department of Architecture. He serves on the 2024 AIA Dallas Board of Directors, ULI’s DFW Hospitality and Entertainment Development Council, Downtown Dallas, Inc.’s Board of Governors, the Board of Directors for Bryan’s House, the Advisory Council for Kind Traveler, and the Texas Trees Foundation’s UT Southwestern Best Practices Advisory Council.