Cities & Urban Design
We believe that thoughtful design connects nature, technology, and people while planning for resilience in a changing world. The places we create are rooted in local culture and act as a catalyst for socially sustainable urban transformation.
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The projects we face are complex and require broader thinking that goes beyond architecture or urban design. We deal with systems, and we need to think with an interdisciplinary lens.
—Chris Rzomp, Cities & Urban Design leader
27 Items
Baghdad Sustainable Forests
Baghdad, Iraq
Baghdad Sustainable Forests is the largest ecological development in Iraq, designed to restore the land and renew the city’s identity.
Wichita State University Campus Master Plan
Wichita, Kansas
Gensler’s master plan unites Wichita State University’s historic campus and innovation campus, creating a vibrant hub for learning, collaboration, and community.
Northside Forward
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Northside Forward is a 10-year, community-authored revitalization plan designed to guide $1.5 billion in equitable investment across North Minneapolis.
Confidential Mixed Use Master Plan
Philippines
This 154-room sanctuary seamlessly blends luxury, efficiency, and connectivity, offering travelers a refined stay with direct access to office towers, lush gardens, and vibrant retail experiences — creating the perfect destination for leisure, business, and unforgettable events.
The Crossing at University of Kansas Master Plan
Lawrence, Kansas
Gensler’s master plan for the University of Kansas’ The Crossing blends academic facilities, housing, and retail into a lively destination that will attract new companies and talent.
Reimagining North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois
Gensler and a team of key real estate leaders studied the innovations and interventions that could elevate the North Michigan Avenue experience.
Harborplace
Baltimore, Maryland
Gensler is partnering with MCB Real Estate to lead the design of the master plan for the future of Harborplace, a mixed-use waterfront destination in Baltimore.
Fleet Street Quarter Public Realm Strategy
London, United Kingdom
Gensler has been working closely with Fleet Street Quarter BID, the City of London, and key stakeholders and businesses to define a vision to create a sustai...
Right to Dream Ghana
Ghana, West Africa
Gensler partnered with Right to Dream to elevate the charity's existing academic and sports facilities in Ghana to be the best academy of its kind in Africa.
Avon Lake Renewable Master Plan
Avon Lake, Ohio
Gensler worked in collaboration with the City of Avon Lake and ALERG to reposition the site of a recently decommissioned coal-fired power plant.
Amtrak – Baltimore Penn Station Lanvale Expansion
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore Penn Station is a transformative project that helps the city rethink its future and leverages the concept of “train as theater.”
Englewood Agro-Eco District
Chicago, Illinois
Gensler is working with Chicago to repurpose an abandoned railroad to create a natural trail, part of a larger plan to create the U.S.' first Agro-Eco district.
The AVE
Chicago, Illinois
As part of Chicago’s INVEST South/West initiative, Gensler was selected to lead master planning for a 10-block corridor strategy plan to transform a stretch...
Black Ensemble Theater
Chicago, Illinois
Gensler is teaming up to to create a culturally diverse, artist-centric live and work village, center to support The Black Ensemble Theater’s mission.
Haizhu Innovation Bay
Guangzhou, China
Haizhu Innovation Bay envisions a hub for innovation-leading enterprises that will attract both talent and tourism as a new destination in Lijiao at the intersection of Guangzhou City Central Axis and Pearl River.
El Monte Busway and Transit Pavilion
El Monte, California
The LEED Gold, $50.0 million El Monte Busway and Transit Center replaces the existing busway and provides an enhanced experience for 40,000 daily commuters.
Western Kentucky University
Campus Master Plan
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Gensler designed the Western Kentucky University Campus Master Plan as a visionary roadmap focused on the student experience.
University of Tasmania Urban Precincts Master Plan
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Working closely with the University of Tasmania, Gensler developed a campus master plan and urban design framework for its Hobart CBD campus location.
205 Feddan
Cairo, Egypt
As a new destination for Cairo, 205 Feddan features a cluster of super tall towers and signals an exemplary design that blends experience and architecture to create a sense of belonging.
First Creek Redevelopment Plan
Knoxville, Tennessee
Gensler crafted a revitalization plan for First Creek, a 22-acre public housing site on the edge of downtown Knoxville that introduces mixed-income housing.
Southtown Redevelopment Plan
Birmingham, Alabama
Gensler crafted a mixed-income, mixed use redevelopment plan for Southtown Court, a public housing development south of Birmingham's Downtown.
Citadel Mall Redevelopment Plan
Charleston, South Carolina
Gensler’s Cities & Urban Design and Analytics teams partnered on a vision to help transform downtown Charleston’s struggling Citadel Mall into a 54-acre regional hub for healthcare, providing robust market analysis and a subsequent three-phase redevelopment plan.
Peña Station Transit-Oriented Development Plan
Denver, Colorado
Working with DEN Real Estate, Gensler developed a long-term development framework for a key, 60-acre site adjacent to the 61st St. and Peña light rail station.
Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame Streetscape
Hollywood, California
Gensler reimagined the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame by creating a streetscape plan that enhances the pedestrian experience and supports transportation modes.
Corferias 2030
Bogotá, Colombia
After successful completion of the competition to design the new Bogotá International Convention Center (Agora Bogotá), programmed and managed by Gensler...
Southbridge Redevelopment Plan
Chicago, Illinois
Gensler developed a master plan for Harold Ickes Homes, a former public housing high-rise located in Chicago’s South Loop District.
Menlo Park Innovation District Plan
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Gensler Minneapolis crafted a master plan for 18 acres of undeveloped land located immediately adjacent to the Twin Cities campus and existing academic and medical assets. When complete, the Menlo Park Innovation District will be a launchpad for innovation, fostering connections between the academic, research, and business communities.
Client Services
Our multidisciplinary team helps shape people-centered urban experiences and mobility solutions for clients across the public and private sectors.
Urban Design & Master Planning
From new cities to urban districts to individual blocks, we design places that connect people. Our urban design plans balance public realm, vertical development, and complex urban systems. We work with developers, public agencies, non-governmental organizations, and institutions at all stages, from vision plans and feasibility studies to entitlements and implementation.
Transit & Mobility Planning
Our clients include public transit agencies, developers, and public-private partnerships delivering major infrastructure projects and transit facilities. We bring deep expertise in transit-oriented and multimodal development and believe that new and alternative mobility strategies can influence how we plan for the next generation.
Special District & Campus Planning
We offer specialized expertise in projects involving sports, entertainment, retail, and educational facilities to anchor urban districts and catalyze development. We work with economic development agencies, professional sports teams, universities, and developers to create compelling and functional plans for transformational projects.
Long-Range & Strategic Planning
We assist municipalities and institutions in setting long-range visions and policies that guide development for the future of our cities. Our planners and strategists are experts in the public process, with experience in stakeholder engagement and facilitation.
Neighborhood Planning
We believe in equitable neighborhoods that provide access to opportunity and choice. With a sensitive approach towards the unique scale of neighborhoods, we plan thriving and cohesive places to live. We work directly with public agencies and community organizations to create unique stakeholder-driven plans that prioritize residents’ needs, honor the past, and look to the future.
Affordable Housing
We recognize that many of our global cities are facing a housing crisis and take an active role in ensuring housing for all. Our team offers experience planning and designing affordable urban housing solutions for all income levels.
INSIGHTS
Research
City Pulse 2025
Gensler surveyed 33,000 people across 65 cities to uncover what makes a city magnetic — how it attracts new residents and keeps them wanting to stay.
Blog
Inside Bangalore’s Talent Race: The Power of Purposeful Workplace Design
While Bangalore continues to face real challenges, such as aging infrastructure, relentless traffic, and a growing water crisis, the city is emerging as a strategic hub for global workplace expansion and a magnet for newcomers.
Blog
San Francisco’s AI Boom Is Our Chance to Build a People-First City
The AI gold rush presents a rare opportunity to reinvest in our urban core, reconnect our neighborhoods, and rebuild our streets.
Blog
Age-Welcoming Cities: Designing for an Era of Longevity
The challenge of a rapidly aging population also presents an opportunity: to reimagine how we plan our cities.
Blog
Birmingham Living: The Next Chapter
This Q&A with Gensler residential leaders John Badman (London) and Jamie Rodgers (Birmingham) explores how Birmingham’s evolving housing market is shaping the city’s next chapter.
Blog
Designing German Cities and Workplaces for a Thriving Economy
Gensler Germany’s leaders explore how urban design, workplace innovation, and strategic investment in public and private spaces can strengthen German cities.
Blog
Climate Change Is Threatening What We Love About Cities
If cities hope to thrive in the face of climate change, they’ll need to balance emotional connection with environmental resilience.
Blog
Families Are Leaving Cities — Here’s How to Win Them Back
Children are critical to well-functioning cities. How can we ensure our cities work well for children and encourage parents to stay?
Blog
Unlocking the Power of Forgotten Space to Combat Loneliness
By embracing the potential of empty space, reimagining in-between spaces, and extending the life of cities beyond traditional hours, we can unlock new value and bring people together.
Blog
The Top 10 Cities People Don’t Want to Leave
Gensler’s 2025 City Pulse survey reveals the top cities where people not only move to, but also stay long-term.
Blog
How Cities Can Establish Resilient Communities
To mitigate potential damage and risk, cities can form resilient communities to proactively prepare for, respond to, and recover from a disaster.
Blog
The 20 Cities Attracting the Most Newcomers
New city residents often leave within five years. To remain successful, these magnetic cities must also engage and retain their new populations.
Blog
A New Vision for Urban Design in Tropical Climates
Through thoughtful, climate-responsive design, seemingly adverse conditions can become a distinct advantage for tropical cities.
Blog
How the Nighttime Economy Is Rewriting Urban Design
Cities around the world are beginning to take the nighttime economy seriously — not as a separate or secondary system, but as a vital counterpart to daytime urban life.
Blog
What Draws People to Cities — and What Makes Them Stay?
Gensler’s City Pulse 2025 research offers insights into the factors attracting people to cities and compelling them to stay.
Blog
Birmingham’s Renaissance: The City of 100 Quarters
How the city’s next evolution is embracing both innovation and heritage to shape a vibrant future.
Trends in Cities & Urban Design
Cities emerge as hubs for multidisciplinary innovation.
The growing scale and complexity of urban challenges mandate complex interdisciplinary collaboration. Cities are increasingly shaped by teams that blend architecture, landscape, mobility, resilience, and data science, creating integrated solutions for complex urban challenges.
The global housing crisis accelerates urban reinvention.
Affordable, high-quality housing is the defining challenge for cities of all sizes in both developed and emerging economies. Cities build more housing units and repair the urban fabric by redeveloping underused land in both the urban core and city’s edge. This reintegrates divided neighborhoods and creates equitable social infrastructure.
Climate migration reshapes the future of urban life.
Climate change defines future relocation patterns, turning some cities into sanctuaries, and threatening others with population decline. Resilience is at the top of the new urban agenda: creating places that can absorb shocks, protect residents, welcome newcomers, and prepare for a rapidly shifting climate.
CITIES & URBAN DESIGN LEADERSHIP
Andre Brumfield
Cities Sector Leader, Principal
Andre Brumfield leverages expertise in urban design, planning, and architecture to catalyze neighborhood revitalization and drive urban districts’ redevelopment
Ian Mulcahey
Cities & Urban Design Leader, Strategy Director, Principal
Ian Mulcahey is a global leader of Gensler’s Cities & Urban Design practice who is passionate about solving complex urban problems.
Christopher Rzomp
Cities & Urban Design Leader, Urban Planner
Chris Rzomp is a global leader of Gensler's Cities & Urban Design practice with a portfolio that ranges from small-scale neighborhood revitalization to new municipality creation.
Dylan Jones
Mobility & Transportation Leader, Cities Sector Leader, Principal
Dylan Jones is a global leader of Gensler’s Mobility & Transportation practice, who works at the intersection of private development and public infrastructure.
NEWS
In The Media
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Real Estate Capital
Diane Hoskins Joins Real Estate Capital Podcast to Discuss How Design, Research, and Mobility Are Transforming Cities
Hoskins reflected on 20 years as co-CEO, discussed the importance of R&D, and highlighted opportunities in city-making, healthcare, and mobility, noting Singapore, the Middle East, and Africa as key regions of innovation.
September 11, 2025
In The Media
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Challenger Cities
Challenger Cities Featured Gensler’s Sofia Song on a Podcast About “The Magnetic, Messy Cities People Don’t Leave”
The discussion centered on Gensler’s City Pulse Survey, which explores what makes cities not just livable — but lovable. Song notes, “What draws people to cities is pragmatic. What gets people to stay are the intangibles.”
June 26, 2025
In The Media
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AIA
How Gensler Transformed a Decommissioned Power Plant into an Award-Winning Lakefront Destination
The American Institute of Architects recognized the Avon Lake Regenerative Master Plan, designed by Gensler, with a 2025 Regional & Urban Design Award. The project reimagines a decommissioned power plant, creating a vibrant, mixed-use lakefront destination.
June 05, 2025
In The Media
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BBC Radio London
BBC Radio London Interviewed Cities & Urban Design Leader Ian Mulcahey About Gensler’s 2025 City Pulse Survey
The newest survey explores what makes London a magnetic city. Mulcahey discussed the city’s challenges, including attracting the next generation of talent and why housing remains a critical concern.
June 03, 2025
In The Media
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Propmodo
Gensler’s City Pulse 2025 Reveals That While Affordability Draws People to Cities, Emotional Connection Keeps Them There
Global Cities Research Leader Sofia Song noted the research provides “evidence of just how powerful pride can be” for a city’s growth and to drive long-term retention.
May 26, 2025
In The Media
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Design Middle East
Design Middle East Highlights Gensler’s City Pulse 2025 with Insights on UAE Urban Life
City Pulse 2025 surveys urban residents in 65 cities, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The findings reveal that “UAE cities are some of the most admired globally for their quality of infrastructure and ambition.”
May 22, 2025
In The Media
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Creative Mornings
Creative Mornings Hosted a Talk With Gensler Strategy Director Brian Stromquist on Reviving Cities
Stromquist shared how he develops conceptual drivers that inform all aspects of a project’s design to create “spaces that are authentic, functional, and future-forward.”
May 16, 2025
In The Media
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Property Week
Property Week Explores Approaches for Redefining Retrofit
At MIPIM, Gensler Europe Leader Duncan Swinhoe shared insights on the firm's ethos and the future of European cities, detailing recent London projects including The Acre, 110 Queen’s Walk, and Fleet Street Quarter.
April 09, 2025
In The Media
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NLA
NLA and Gensler’s Michaela Winter-Taylor Explored Fleet Street’s Legacy of Innovation
Cities & Urban Design Lead Michaela Winter-Taylor explored Fleet Street’s legacy of innovation in journalism and key strategies for its more recent rediscovery as an accelerator of progress in London.
April 08, 2025
In The Media
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The Baltimore Sun
Baltimore Sun Announced That Gensler Will Lead the Baltimore Harborplace Redevelopment
The redevelopment will add four tall buildings for apartments, offices, retail, and dining. Gensler’s Vaki Mawema noted, “the front porch of our city should be activated with safe, walkable public spaces, world-class design, and brought to life by locals and visitors alike.”
April 07, 2025
In The Media
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Commercial Property Executive
How Urban Planners and Developers Can Turn 9-to-5 Central Business Districts Into 24/7 Neighborhoods
Gensler Building Transformation Leader Sheryl Schulze noted that a healthy urban core relies on sound policy from stakeholders and public entities.
February 03, 2025
In The Media
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TheStreet
TheStreet Featured a Conversation with Gensler Co-CEO Jordan Goldstein on Trends Redefining Architecture and Design
The interview explored the rise of lifestyle districts, attainable housing, sustainable materials, opportunities for conversions, and the workplace of the future. Watch the episode.
January 24, 2025
In The Media
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CNN Style
EVE Park Selected as One of CNN Style’s 10 Architectural Projects Set To Shape the World
Electric Vehicle Enclave (EVE) Park, designed by Gensler for s2e Technologies, in Ontario is a net-zero residential development integrating green energy technologies.
January 10, 2025
In The Media
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NAIOP Development Magazine
Gensler’s Oliver Schaper Shared Insights About Ontario’s EVE Park, a Net-Zero Residential Development
Schaper discussed how centralizing parking infrastructure creates a more human-centered suburban residential planning model, resulting in a community where residents live in a park (and not a parking lot).
September 25, 2024
In The Media
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Crain’s Chicago Business
Crain’s Chicago Business Celebrated Andre Brumfield on Its List of 2024 Notable Black Leaders
Brumfield notes his top achievement is Englewood Agro-Eco District Land Use Plan, which will transform a former rail line into “an economic hub for urban agriculture,” supporting equity and creating jobs.
September 23, 2024