Politics and Trade

Last week I was returning from Seattle at 2 a.m. due to some flight delays, and I was a little tired, but I remembered that I had an important meeting later in the morning: Gensler’s San Francisco office was hosting Edmund Lee, the mayor of San Francisco, and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Ron Kirk to discuss trade initiatives and showcase some of our international projects. We stay active in the political arena to promote trade and help other businesses get a foothold in overseas markets.

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A Decade of Construction in China

When I first went to China in the mid-1990s, I was surprised by the very poor quality of commercial construction. As I crossed the border at Shenzen, I felt as if I had stepped back in time. Most of the buildings were of the post-World War II vintage and most had gone through many years of deferred maintenance. From my perspective, the finest buildings in the country were those built from the mid-1800s to the early turn of the century. Most everything else was poorly designed, poorly constructed, and not worth saving.

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Recycling an Airport Terminal: How We Made SFO T2

Gensler partnered with filmmakers Spirit of Space earlier this year to create two films around our new terminal at San Francisco International Airport’s new Terminal 2 (T2).

In this first video shot during the final month of construction, we explore how Gensler and Turner made T2 in a unique design/build partnership. Art Gensler (our founder) and Victor Perry of Turner explain what's different about T2, what it means to San Francisco, and how this project was unique for the design and construction team who built T2 together.

Healthy Friction

The volatile relationship between a college and the community that surrounds it is often as old as the institution itself.

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What Makes a Great Learning Space?

What is it that makes a great learning space? Some experts would have us believe that learning spaces need state-of-the-art audio-visual systems connected to worldwide networks. Others seem to think that if you can move the furniture around, you can create something special.

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