A Place for a Mission: The San Francisco AIDS Foundation Center on Castro Street

Image © Gensler/Jasper Sanidad

This post is part of a blog series related to Dialogue 30, "The Livability Issue.”

The importance of place is often discussed in terms of one’s place in a family or society, and even of one’s place in the universe. How we relate to geography and find our way in either the natural or the built world all deals with our sense of a place and where we belong in it. Place informs us on the nuanced details of how we might find rest, support, supplies and shelter. For humans as well as for other animals, place is incredibly important to our sense of belonging, safety and well-being. It is the importance of place in human lives that led to Strut, the newest site for San Francisco AIDS Foundation, on Castro Street in San Francisco.

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Reimagining High School: Envisioning RISE High

Image © Gensler

XQ: The Super School Project began two years ago as an open challenge to America’s educators and creative professionals to reimagine high school as we know it and, in doing so, to revolutionize the education of our nation’s future. That challenge was accepted by over 700 teams from across the country who submitted applications for the opportunity to form 10 new schools, catalyzed by a $10 million grant provided by Laurene Powell Jobs.

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BoomTown: Common Interests Trump Common Ages

Image courtesy of Negative Space by Ian Schneider

This blog is part of a series, BoomTown, examining how we design communities for all ages.

“What if we could rethink the housing options for Boomers? What if, instead of old-style retirement communities, we could define something that much better meets the wants and needs of today’s Boomer generation?”

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Creating a Place to Gain Human Ability

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. The project was designed as a collaboration between HDR and Gensler, in association with Clive Wilkinson Architects and EGG Office. Image © Michael Moran.

Innovative companies that collaborate across disciplines are the organizations with the newest ideas. Until recently, it was a rarity to see this kind of behavior as a healthcare consumer or patient. Six years ago, the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab waved goodbye to “the usual” and set out instead to redefine the patient experience. The result is a unique model of care and a direct reflection of a truly visionary client.

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BoomTown: The Promise of ‘Ageless Thinking’

Image © Gensler/ Ryan Gobuty

“As a society, we tend to believe that each generation is an insular one, and that the interests of each are unique and separate from those of others. But now more than ever, people young and old must join forces to address problems that affect both of their communities.” Michael Eisner

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