Future of Cities
Redefining the future of cities as ecosystems of multiuse, multi-generational, 20-minute neighborhoods.
LATEST REPORTS & ARTICLES
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
Designing a New Future of Cities Through Wellness and Experience Design
How cities can take an active role in fostering healthier, more fulfilling urban lives for residents and visitors.
Blog
Creating a More Resilient Future With Green and Thriving Cities
As the demand for sustainable and liveable cities grows, urban planners and architects are adopting innovative strategies to harmonise built and natural environments.
Blog
Urban Design’s Renaissance: How San Francisco Is Leading the Way
Cities everywhere are rethinking not just how they look and function, but how they can better serve the people who live in them. Few cities are as poised to lead this transformation as San Francisco.
Blog
Trends to Watch: The Future of Cities Relies on Multiuse Districts
Gensler’s Mixed Use & Retail Centers leaders discuss the opportunities shaping the future of cities and multiuse districts.
Blog
Designing Safe, Walkable Cities for Future Generations of Children
Thoughtful urban design can transform cities into vibrant, inclusive spaces where children can thrive, connect, and grow.
Blog
Trends to Watch: What Other Cities Can Learn From New York City’s Conversion Boom
As U.S. cities experience high commercial real estate vacancy rates and housing shortages, developers have an opportunity to invest in and convert stranded assets.
Research
The Return of the City
We examined how global perceptions have shifted from 2021 to 2023 across 15 global cities to understand the obstacles and opportunities facing cities today.
Blog
Trends to Watch Reshaping the Future of Cities and Urban Living
Gensler’s Cities & Urban Design leaders discuss what’s next for the future of cities.
Blog
Mexico City Is Reckoning With Explosive Economic Growth Alongside a Mounting Water Crisis
Despite an influx of capital and accelerated economic growth, Mexico City is grappling with a water shortage and affordability challenges.
Blog
Equity and Aging in the 20-Minute City
By designing spaces that prioritize universal design principles and connectivity, we can create more accessible, purposeful places for seniors.
Blog
Libraries Are Crucial Social Infrastructure for the 20-Minute City
Once known solely as places for books, libraries are pivoting and adapting to adopt new roles in society.
Blog
Gensler’s City Pulse Retrospective Tracks the Complex Shifts in Urban Life
Our latest cities research reveals that despite pain points, the desirability of cities persists.
Blog
The Most Impactful Urban Infrastructure? City Streets
Gensler’s plan for Hollywood Boulevard demonstrates how rethinking city streets can revitalize cities, create healthy communities, and support sustainable mobility.
Research
The Future of Gas Station Sites
We created an interactive tool to help architects and clients map underutilized gas station sites and aid decision-making to repurpose these stranded assets.
Podcast
The Future of Downtown Is the Lifestyle District
We explore lifestyle districts and how we can design the future of downtowns to respond to people’s evolving needs and experiences through new best...
Blog
The Future of Central Business Districts Depends on More Than Office Buildings
Gensler’s latest City Pulse reveals how downtowns can adapt to a changing world — and deliver great experiences.
Research
City Pulse 2023: The Future of Central Business Districts
We surveyed urban residents in 53 cities across the globe to understand their experiences in central business districts from the perspectives of residents, employees, and visitors to the CBD.
Blog
Why We Need Bold Change to Revitalize Our Cities
While there are points of concern for the current state of our city centers, this is also a unique opportunity to create meaningful and lasting change.
Research
Designing Food-Resilient Cities
We researched how designers can reimagine food production to cities to better connect residents to their food and foster a food-resilient future.
Blog
Why Connected Neighborhoods Are Key to Urban Revitalization
In cities like Nashville, new development must consider the need to enhance neighborhood character and a connected urban experience.
Blog
Equity and the 20-Minute Neighborhood
To build stronger, more resilient, and equitable communities it’s essential that we leverage the power of research and engage residents.
Blog
The Future of City Centres
The pandemic has prompted a rethink of the role our city centres as they become more of a lifestyle location rather than a traditional work destination.
Blog
How Smart Mixed-Use Environments Can Redefine Urban Spaces
Mixed-use developments, when coupled with smart technologies, can deliver meaningful experiences, while providing developers data insights to optimize their statements.
Research
City Pulse 2022: Urban Mobility Report
We surveyed residents across 30 cities around the world to understand their mobility experiences, preferences for urban transportation, and opinions on safety, access, and sustainability in cities.
Blog
Revitalizing Stranded Assets to Build Vibrant Suburban Districts
With recent shifts toward suburban areas, civic leaders and real estate developers have an opportunity to create synergistic communities beyond urban downtowns that offer places to live, work, and play.
Research
Residential Experience Index 2022
Our report uncovers findings from global residents to better understand the most important drivers of positive living experiences and highlights a need for fresh perspectives on residential design and development.
Blog
The Future of the 20-Minute City
The “20-minute city” fosters connectivity to everyday resources by design. By designing through an ESG lens, we can create healthy, walkable communities for everyone.
FEATURED CITIES PROJECTS
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.
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...
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.”
CITIES & URBAN DESIGN NEWS
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Gensler Press Release
2025New Research from Gensler Unveils the Magnetic Forces Shaping Cities — and Why People Choose to Stay -
The McMorrow Reports
2025The McMorrow Reports spotlighted 5 trends shaping urban transformation featured in Gensler’s 2025 Design Forecast. The article includes a video recap of the biggest design trends to watch this year. -
Commercial Property Executive
2025Commercial Property Executive explored how urban planners and developers can turn 9-to-5 central business districts into 24/7 neighborhoods. Sheryl Schulze noted that a healthy urban core relies on sound policy from stakeholders and public entities.
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