Urbanism and the Pursuit of Happiness

Cities are magnets for those who seek better jobs, opportunities, and more diverse communities. But does city life make us happy? We look at some of the basic building blocks for a better, happier city.

Houston's ByDesign Group Explores Local Ideas for the Future of Cities

A group of young architects and designers at Gensler Houston are proposing big, bold ideas for the future of their city and beyond.

A How-to for Creative Placemaking and Tactical Urbanism

Pop-up, temporary, and semi-permanent public space projects have evolved past being mere experiments. They now form a substantial part of urban business operations that governments and developers are championing, but until recently policies around temporary use of the urban realm have been murky and difficult to navigate.

You Are Beautiful: Dining by Design

For the 22nd installment of DIFFA New York’s Dining By Design, design firms across the city mobilized to produce 23 carefully curated dining vignettes that raise awareness for individuals impacted by HIV/AIDS. Gensler New York’s 2019 design concept, titled “You Are Beautiful,” served as a celebratory reminder to all those individuals living with HIV/AIDS that they are not alone in their fight.

How Open Is Too Open for Your Office?

It’s time to end the debate about whether offices should be an open or closed environment. New data from Gensler's 2019 U.S. Workplace Survey provides answers to how open the open office should be.

How Do We Accommodate Traveling Service Animals?

In order to make travel more accessible for all passengers, airports are required to provide relief areas for use by service animals. The definition of a service animal has expanded and contracted over the years and, as such, it can be challenging to understand how to best serve their needs.

It's Time for Office Amenities to Get to Work

As the office landscape continues to evolve and companies grant their employees more freedom and choice to work where they like (whether inside or outside the office), Gensler's research shows that the amenities with the greatest impact on effectiveness and experience are those that directly support the work needs of individual employees and their teams.

10 Tips for Success in an Open Plan

Transitioning to an open plan doesn’t have to be intimidating. In fact, if it’s an office layout where you have a range of spaces to support focus and collaboration, you'll likely be even be more effective and productive.

The Open Office Isn't Dead (Redux)

It’s time for a new narrative around work and the workplace — one that reflects the realities of the needs and desires of today’s workers and the diversity of the modern workforce.

Why Not-For-Profits Deserve a Utopian Workplace

Not-for-profit employees are four times more likely to be motivated by mission than the average employee in another sector. Our passion for supporting these workers led us to embark on a thought experiment: What would a utopia look like if it were designed for the not-for-profit employee and their individual sense of purpose?

The Third Lane: Rethinking Street Design for the 21st Century

What does the explosive growth of shared electric scooters tell us about the changing dynamics of city life? And how can we better shape the city of tomorrow to respond to new modes of mobility?

Keep it Moving: New Technologies at the Airport Curbside

The disruptive impact that Transportation Network Companies and app-based rides have had on airport curbsides has been significant. While companies such as Uber, Lyft, and Wingz are becoming more commonplace, many airports have been caught off guard. Now they’re scrambling to catch up.

From Smart Buildings to Intelligent Placemaking

Data and AI are being invisibly woven into everything around us. As we move towards an intelligence economy where data is a raw material, we have an opportunity to take a new approach to design.

Polycentric Cities: The Future of Sustainable Urban Growth

As we approach a new normal for urban density, the cities that are best positioned for the future are evolving along a decentralized, multi-nodal model.

If A City Isn’t Smart, Does That Mean It’s Stupid?

The concept of smart cities might be shrewd marketing on the part of tech companies, so what does it mean for a city to truly be “smart”?

On Climate Change and Hope

Despite rising carbon dioxide emissions, we can still tackle global warming.

How Will Biometric Screening Change the Airport Environment?

Fueled by science fiction, biometric screening has long been associated with a futuristic society. Today, governmental agencies, airlines, and airport operators are all exploring the technology as a means to both increase security and improve passenger processing.

Climate Reprogramming

Façade design is one example where performance, technology, and code changes come together to positively impact the environment; and our first targets in this endeavor should be existing building stock, where a vast majority of our energy consumption originates.

Creating Transit-Oriented Communities in Los Angeles

When Phil Washington took the helm of the LA Metro in 2015, he spoke about connecting transit-oriented communities — not transit-oriented developments — and kicked off a critical shift in the way we think about transportation investments, land use, and development in LA.

Reimagining the Hotel Lobby as a Vibrant Social Hub

Many of today’s travelers spend more time in the lobby than in their rooms — and, with a mix of hotel guests and locals, today’s lobby feels more like a neighborhood coffee shop than a hotel entry point. Today, the lobby must be a vibrant, 24/7 revenue-generating space designed for a mix of different uses.

From Railroads to Electric Scooters: How Mobility Shapes the City of Today and Tomorrow

From GPS-enabled electric scooters, to driverless cars, and even aerial ride-share services, disruptive mobility is on the rise. With the explosion of these services, it’s critical that we build a common language of understanding as we shape a vision for the cities of tomorrow.

Creating a Beautiful, Energy-Efficient Building for Harbin Bank

Harbin Bank’s new headquarters in Beijing is both aesthetically pleasing and high performing. By maximizing natural daylight and energy efficiency, while minimizing harmful particulates, the building serves as a climate-responsive solution and an elegant example for the city.

What the Math Behind Climate Change Is Telling Us

Global carbon emissions reached a record high in 2018. As the math of climate action suggests a growing gap between countries’ action pledges and their measures to limit global warming, the question for our industry becomes: how do you approach sustainability design in a world where arresting climate change no longer seems possible?

Winning the War for Talent: Could Your Workplace be Doing More?

With the labor shortage in the U.S. expected to continue for years, leading organizations aren’t waiting for their next lease renewal to enhance their physical workplace. Instead, they’re exploring ways to leverage it as an asset for attracting and retaining talent.

An Advocate’s Journey: The Role of Design in Enabling Issue Advocacy

In the design world there are a lot of buzzwords we hear every day: experience, purpose, disruption... But what about advocacy? Physical space can and should be a catalyst for issue advocacy. Space has the potential to inspire, and it can be the gateway that initially connects people to an issue or cause. 

2018 Gensler Design Excellence Awards

Now in its 18th year, the Gensler Design Excellence Awards (GDEA) program sets a standard that all our design teams can aspire to. Within our global firm of more than 6,000 employees, the annual program is a purposeful tradition that nurtures and elevates our design culture.

Treat Us Like a Client: Three Things I’d Do Differently in Designing Our New Workplace

When planning a new office in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Gensler became the client, rather than the design team. A year after moving into the space, Managing Director Joan Meyers reflects on three things she would have done differently during the planning process.

Improving the Air We Breathe: Design Strategies for Action

Fire and unhealthy indoor air are global issues. What can we do to improve air quality in the environments we design? And how can we do it in ways that help mitigate, not exacerbate, global climate change?

The Costs of Climate Change and the Promise of Resilience

If there’s one clear lesson from the recent National Climate Assessment, it’s that we need to anticipate and prepare for extreme weather-related events, rather than simply react to them. At Gensler, we believe that the building industry has an obligation to help communities prepare while leading the charge against climate change.

Sorting It Out: The Key to Zero Waste Is in the Bin

If the team at San Francisco International Airport is to reach its zero waste goal in the next three years, the airport's facilities must be able to efficiently sort out renewable or reclaimable materials. But if these items are consistently ending up in the wrong bin, then the point of failure in the system seems obvious: the airport just needs better bins.

As Wildfires Rage in California, Designing for Resilience Becomes Even More Urgent

The effects of climate change are increasingly evident—and urgent. What can we do to create resiliency and mitigate the impact of these increasingly frequent and powerful events?

Toward A New Consilience

It’s way past time for standards of “good design” and “green design” to come together.

From Briefing to Experience, Designing Today's Customer Experience Center

For many organizations, from technology to finance to sports teams, Customer Experience Centers (CECs) are the catalyst for developing and fostering customer relationships.

Designing an Inclusive, Effective All-Gender Restroom Symbol

Without an existing standard, properly identifying all-gender restrooms in signage and wayfinding through use of an effective symbol is crucial. But designing a symbol for an all-gender restroom can be a potentially contentious conversation, inviting input and commentary from many viewpoints.

Pairing BIM and Connected Devices to Elevate Design

Our increasingly complex world offers an ever-expanding number of factors to consider when designing. By using networked devices, we can capture signals within our created places and measure everything from lighting power usage to occupancy rates and electrical plug loads.

City of Hope Honors Gensler With Spirit of Life Award

City of Hope Honors Gensler With Spirit of Life Award

Preparing for the Future Now with Resilient Design

As global leaders come together to address how the collective community can help reduce CO2 emissions, we understand our role within this conversation, too.

The Smart and the Beautiful Dichotomies in Workplace Design

For tomorrow's workplace, the prime differentiator will be realizing a firm’s cultural promise through the physical form and sequence of its space.

Six Steps to Conquer Workplace Churn and Maintain Reliable Data

If a constant shuffling of desks in your workplace seems like it’s become the new norm, you’re not alone.

Red Bull Reenergizes a Warehouse as Their Atlanta Workplace

Southern charm and the high-octane world of Red Bull collide for an enthusiastic atmosphere in their new Atlanta office. The office enhances their employees’ experiences by celebrating its local dedication and passion to its Southern customers.

The Open Office Isn't Dead

No two employees or companies are exactly alike. It’s a good idea to remind ourselves of these individualities before jumping to any conclusions.

Designing the First Triple-Certified Green Building in China

Working with Johnson Controls on their new headquarters in Shanghai, we knew at the outset that the building would incorporate cutting-edge sustainable mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, as well as intelligent building features.

A Q&A with John Wix, Managing Director of Gensler Portland

A Q&A with John Wix, Managing Director of Gensler Portland

From Fitness to Bowling Alleys: How Commercial Office Buildings Are Differentiating Themselves Through Amenities

Here, we offer five ways that amenities can help developers and building owners attract and secure tenants by appealing to their inhabitants

A Day in the Life of an Agile Worker

As companies seek to gain efficiencies in the workplace, provide choice for employees, and attract and retain talent, strategies involving agile working and free-address have gained traction.

But First Let Me Take a Selfie: Designing Sharable Moments

As our lives become more digitally connected, there is not a moment uninterrupted by the desire to post something unique or exciting, leading to an ever-growing demand for photo opportunities to share.

Six Urban Design Trends to Watch in 2018

Gensler Atlanta's Office Expansion: A Co-Creating Environment

When we started thinking about our expansion space for Gensler Atlanta’s office last May, we wanted to build an environment that would continue to inspire a creative culture, where each individual’s ingenuity can be unleashed and turned into works of collective genius.

The Gym Of The Future is Closer Than You Think

What do we do when gas stations become obsolete? Turn them into fuel for our bodies instead.

Gensler Recognized as Top Firm in Building Design's 2018 World Architecture 100

Gensler Recognized as #1 Firm in Building Design's World Architecture Top 100 for 2018

How Environmental Graphics can Inspire Culture and Creativity

The big question is, once you secure outstanding talent, how do you keep the creative juices flowing and help employees feel more connected to their company’s culture?

How Businesses Can Compete on Experience, and Win on Design

Today, the goal of every project we design at Gensler is to make a positive impact to peoples’ experiences.

Seven Ideas to Create an Inspiring Workplace

Achieving the right kind of workplace is challenging, but the following ideas can change your office from a mundane “greige” environment into something that inspires creativity and innovation.

2017 Gensler Design Excellence Awards

Now in its 18th year, the Gensler Design Excellence Awards (GDEA) program sets a standard that all our design teams can aspire to. Within our global firm of more than 5,000 employees, the program serves a vital purpose: to nurture and elevate our design culture.

Design as an Innovation Super Power

Innovation is an overused word and an underexplored practice.

Make Your Workplace Data Work for You

Space has the ability to transform a company’s culture and provide an engaging employee experience vital to success in today’s competitive market. Delivering this experience can be enhanced with a multitude of technology and data sources, all promising the answer to workplace success. However, without a reliable inventory of space and occupancy data, organizations struggle to get a handle on their workplace strategy.

The Solutions to Climate Change Are Already at Our Fingertips

Because every project we work on is either part of the problem or part of the solution, we made a commitment to measure the environmental impact of our work, and publish the results to drive discussions  about the best ways to make progress in the future.

Comparing Boma 2010 and 2017 Office Standards

This fall, the Building Owners and Managers Association International (BOMA) will release the latest version of its Office Standard, which provides a uniform basis for measuring rentable area in both existing and new office buildings.

Wellbeing in the Workplace Has Superpowers

The wellbeing of your employees is a business strategy aimed at increasing productivity, enhancing engagement, and improving overall health and happiness in the workplace.

Gensler Research + Innovation Awards 2017

Research is the fuel that drives innovation, and innovation is the cornerstone of design excellence. That’s the premise of the Gensler Research + Innovation Awards (GRIA) program, which is about celebrating the invention and exploration that produce inspired design thinking, creative problem-solving and better outcomes for our clients.

Dear Office Worker, The Future Is Free-Address

Workplaces are shifting from endless rows of cubes to a free-address work environment that allows you to work anywhere and everywhere. You are no longer tethered to an office or a cubicle. Why the shift?

Are Law Firms Ready to Work Remotely?

The legal industry and most other industries are reshaping their workplaces. The most innovative of the bunch are taking less space and collaborating more.

Change by Design: A New Framework for Leading Continuous Change

The right work environment is an incredible tool for facilitating change.

Field Notes: Designing for Today's News Outlets

From "Blackbeard’s Ghost" to Louis Kahn, Design Director and Principal David Epstein Unveils His Influences

A look into a designer's early inspirations. 

Employee Engagement: A Core Business Strategy 

Successful business leaders realize that having engaged employees is not an HR program, but a core business strategy. 

Has Connectivity Changed Our Experience of Place? 

When it comes to the digital revolution’s impact on place, people are the prime movers.

The Designer Who Can’t Stop Drawing 

Setting the Bar High for Design Excellence

Gensler's annual Design Excellence Awards help helps set a standard that all our design teams can aspire to. The 2016 program recognized an array of praiseworthy projects, representing various typologies.

Re-Imagining an American Icon

The Willis Tower is one of the world’s tallest buildings. At ground level, however, something is noticeably absent.

A Restroom for Everyone

We documented the historical, political, legislative, and cultural impacts of designing gender-inclusive restrooms; and to identify best practices for inclusive restroom designs.

Human Experience Is the Future of Design

We believe human experience is the future of design. People are the one constant in this era of dramatic technological change, demographic shifts, global volatility and climate change.

Seven Ways Icons On Floorplans Add Value

When it comes to space and occupancy management, an accurate floor plan can do more than just represent the physical space.

Want to Attract Top Talent? Focus on the Employee Experience

The workplace of the future is more about ‘how’ we work; bringing people together to collaborate, innovate, learn, and socialize.

Gensler Partners with the City of Bogotá on Community Center Initiative

Gensler Partners with the City of Bogotá on Community Center Initiative

A Workplace Designed for the Innovation Economy

The ability to drive new innovation is becoming an essential requirement for organizations to stay competitive today. All the signs point to the same realization… disrupt or be disrupted is the ethos of our time.

Designing Vibrant Communities

Vibrant communities are the building blocks of our fast-paced, increasingly urban world. To help cities thrive, these communities must be connected, resilient, healthy and inspiring.

Gensler Signs Paris Pledge for Action on Climate Change

Gensler joins with other private companies and governments in signing the Paris Pledge for Action

Using Data to Build a Case for Change

Data can have a huge impact on strategy and profitability.

Delivering Creativity on a Global Scale

Our firm revolves around a shared commitment to design excellence and a culture of entrepreneurial self-sustaining leadership.

Capturing Utilization and Activity Data in the Workplace

While utilization is an important metric to inform how frequently a space is used, it’s important to consider another key piece of data for strategic planning: activity data.

Cost Versus Value in Corporate Real Estate

As more companies move from dedicated seating to free address, questions about space utilization and cost can become a greater focus.

What makes a world-class airport?

Gleaming new terminals are rising in next-generation cities across the globe; and with these come growing expectations of the airport experience. To remain competitive, legacy regional and national airports are asking: What makes for a world-class airport today?

Retail Health, Retail Medicine and the New Healthcare Experience

Retail health is emerging as a means for delivering quality, convenient care to millions of consumers; it’s also model for healthcare systems to consider when expanding their networks or extending services to reach new patient populations.

Vertical Urbanism and the Livable Cities of Tomorrow

Open spaces – the parks and piazzas that give cities a sense of character and community – are in short supply. To ensure cities remain livable in an urbanizing world, new perspectives on public space are needed. One approach is to look beyond the ground plane.

Q+A with Art Gensler

Gensler Principal Maddy Burke-Vigeland sat down with Art to talk about his experience as a student at Cornell, and explore its influence on his architectural career.

The Rise of Academic Incubators

Gensler has launched an initiative to explore the impact of academic incubators on universities, businesses and communities. Leveraging global expertise and insights in workplace and higher education design, we seek to understand what separates successful incubators from those that fail and to share these findings with our clients.

We Promote Good Design by Celebrating It

Gensler's annual Design Excellence Awards help propel the quality of design ideas and solutions we provide clients. The 2014 program recognized 23 praiseworthy projects, calling out five for exceptional design achievement.

What Is the Function of Libraries in Our New Wired World

The desire to work in a physical environment surrounded by other people is why libraries remain important places for studying and performing individual work.

Design Is in Our DNA

The annual Gensler Design Excellence Awards set a standard of quality, raise the visibility of our top projects and generate conversations about design in Gensler offices across the world.

Reimagining ColorPlus

An Indian retail icon looks to Gensler to refresh and redefine its brand

Talk of the Town

The Avenues redefines shopping in the Gulf and internationally

Under the Hood: Retail

A Q&A on how retailers are using design to keep their competitive edge

Reimagining Cities

Envisioning a better urban future by redefining the Town Square

Windows Worth Shopping

Ferrari Store and Gensler partner for RIBA Regent Street Windows Project

Shopping the Globe

What’s in store for retailers when planning an international expansion

Airport Cities

Denver and Seoul see airports keying economic growth and global standing

A Whole New Ballgame

The sophisticated business of planning successful sports venues

The Developing City

Gensler envisions London in 2050 for a summer-long exhibition

All Squared Away

22squared’s new office makes a pitch for the ad agency’s creative culture

Destination Airports

A new generation of terminals elevates the travel experience

A New School for Jacmel

Taking a “little by little” approach to building Haiti’s future anew

Now Boarding: A New Skylife

SFO's Terminal 2 ushers in air travel's sustainable, passenger-friendly era

The London River Park

An award-winning plan to transform London’s experience of the Thames

Values-Based Retail

A look at six savvy companies serving up the good values their customers seek

Virtual Me, Virtual U

How schools are using technology to transform the halls of higher education

Virtual Me, Virtual U: Part II

How schools are using technology to transform the halls of higher education

Farmers Field

AEG selects Gensler to design proposed football stadium at L.A. LIVE

First Position

Houston Ballet’s new Center for Dance becomes nation’s largest dance facility