Arthur Gensler Aiacc Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Service January 19, 2016
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ARTHUR GENSLER AIACC LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE JANUARY 19, 2016 Art Gensler LA16-004 Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Service ABOUT M. ARTHUR GENSLER, JR., FAIA, FIIDA, RIBA FOUNDER, GENSLER Art Gensler’s 60-year career as an architect development. From tenant space planning, This bench of wide-ranging talent, the firm, was the recipient of the California is a remarkable story—distinguished by beginning with the Alcoa Building in connected through the rare collaborative Council AIA’s 1995 Architecture Firm of a commitment to advancing the profession San Francisco, his group developed the culture nurtured by Art Gensler, now the Year award. In 2000, the firm received of architecture, building a practice that has programming procedures that have comprises a firm capable of managing the American Institute of Architects’ global impact, supporting design education become the framework for interior megaprojects such as CityCenter (Gensler national Architecture Firm Award. Institute and career advancement, championing the architectural projects throughout the served as Executive Architect of the 67- President Michael Stanton noted at the benefits of sustainable architecture, and profession. Building on this, Gensler’s acre, 18 million-square-foot “city within a time that Gensler is widely viewed by its making a difference in the communities firm went on to develop techniques and city” in Las Vegas), SFO Airport (beginning peers as a model practice. In 2015, Interior where the firm works. procedures in project management, project with the Central Terminal project in 1980 Design magazine listed Gensler as “the History of the Firm staffing, fee control, budget control, general and continuing with comprehensive T2 and most admired design firm” for the 35th year In 1965, with two employees, Art launched administration, and financial management T3 renovations, and now embarking on T1 in a row. a different kind of architectural practice. that have become industry standards. improvements), and Shanghai Tower (the Sustainability has long been a high Adaptive, proactive, and client-centered, He also made the workplace a focal 121-story mixed-use tower that is the new priority for Art Gensler. In 2012, the U.S. the firm treated professional service as point for research, strongly influencing symbol of China’s re-emergence on the Green Building Council awarded him the a privilege. Teamwork, not individual the evolution of the modern office global stage). prestigious President’s Award, recognizing accomplishment, would build the practice. building typology. Those first beginnings A Benchmark for the Profession his pioneering vision for the green building Focused from the start on design’s impact of research have evolved into the firm’s The firm that Art Gensler founded and industry. Art’s interest in the workplace led on human experience, the firm has Workplace Performance Index, whose built up over five decades has consistently him to focus on energy conservation in the transformed over five decades from an 190,000 respondents make it arguably defined the profession’s standards for early 1970s and indoor air quality in the interior architecture practice to a full-service the largest repository of knowledge cultural and managerial best practices. 1980s. He broadened that interest in the design firm with more than 5,000 people on workplace effectiveness. His innovation was to make his clients— ’90s by embracing sustainable design and and 47 locations across the Americas, Asia, Of the architects of his generation, Art a cross-section of the U.S. and the working tirelessly to promote its adoption and Europe. In 2015, the firm surpassed Gensler stands out as the outstanding developed world’s economy—his reference by corporate and governmental clients. the $1 billion revenue milestone for the firm-builder. Like his predecessors, Louis point, and to insist that architecture firms Beginning in 2000, he worked closely with first time. Skidmore and William Caudill, he founded could and should compare favorably the USGBC to reform the LEED Building As a pioneer in the practice of interior and built a collaborative practice that has to them. Certification Program, and extend it into architecture, Art Gensler has played had wide influence on the profession. Working with Business Week and core-and-shell and building interiors. He a significant role in developing client Beginning as workplace and retail Architectural Record, Art helped found the helped make the Gensler firm an industry understanding of the value of the designers, the firm gradually broadened to “Good Design is Good Business Awards” leader in sustainable practices, with nearly profession. Early in his career, he include consulting, brand design, planning, in 1997. This program closely reflects 1,200 LEED-accredited professionals recognized the need for a new airports, tall buildings, and more. Today his own philosophy, the hallmark of his currently on staff. architectural discipline that encompassed Gensler has 31 areas of practice within career: Architecture not only contributes programming, space planning, interior its studio structure, with offices in 16 measurably to the communities and design, tenant development, space countries. To date, this growth has organizations it serves, but it has the management, and interior system taken the firm—and the architectural power to transform everyday life. Gensler, profession—into 123 countries worldwide. 2 Art Gensler LA16-004 Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Service ABOUT M. ARTHUR GENSLER, JR., FAIA, FIIDA, RIBA (CONT.) FOUNDER, GENSLER The Importance of Education in creating a global network of designers of the International Interior Design Outside of the firm, Art is strongly and advocates working to help local Association (IIDA), he was presented committed to supporting the education communities through volunteerism, with the prestigious Star Award in of design professionals—endowing, for service, and pro bono work. 1992 in recognition of his outstanding example, a scholarship program at Cornell Most recently, through partnerships with contributions to the contract design University, his alma mater. In addition, he like-minded organizations such as ACE industry. He is a charter member of currently serves on the Advisory Council Mentor Program of America, IIDA, and Interior Design Magazine’s Hall of Fame, of Cornell’s College of Architecture, Art Project Color Corps, the firm has amplified established in 1985 to recognize individuals and Planning and is a board member at the its impact, supported underserved making outstanding contributions in the California College of the Arts. He has been youth, developed design solutions, and field of interior design. He is widely credited a Visiting Professor both at Cornell and at mentored future generations. Over the with elevating the practice of interior the University of California, Berkeley, and years, Gensler’s impact has been felt most design to professional standing, and these has taught at the University of Arizona and significantly through Art’s involvement in honors recognize that contribution. He is Arizona State University. The San Francisco Committee on Jobs, the also a professional member of the Royal Within the firm, Art has long insisted on a San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, and Institute of British Architects (RIBA). robust professional development program the San Francisco Center for Economic In 2005, Art received the Lifetime that encourages employees to explore Development. Achievement Award from Ernst & new areas of interest and pushes them to Background and Professional Young LLP at the firm’s annual Northern expand their technical and leadership skills. Activities California Entrepreneur of the Year awards. This talent development network—ranging An architect by profession, Art Gensler The award is presented to an individual from the Gensler University Global Leaders is a graduate of Cornell University, which whose extraordinary entrepreneurial program to its NextGen initiative—expands named him “Cornell Entrepreneur of the achievements, creativity, leadership, and the horizons of the selected individuals Year” in 1995. In addition to his visiting vision have established a new industry that and builds the firm’s capabilities to work professorships at the institutions named enhances the rapid growth of the world successfully all over the world. Gensler’s above, Art has been a Trustee and Vice economy. talent development programs have Chairman of both the Buck Institute for In 2015, Art shared his lessons learned in been recognized with numerous Aging and the San Francisco Museum building a world-class professional services national awards, including the AIA IDP of Modern Art. Currently he is a board firm with publication of “Art’s Principles.” Outstanding Firm Award. member for SFMOMA, the Buck Institute In the acclaimed book, he covers the An Emphasis on Community for Aging, and the California College essentials of leadership, talent acquisition, Under Art’s leadership, the firm has of the Arts. and operations, while outlining the creative committed to creating positive impact A founding member of the National AIA strategies that propelled a small business through socially conscious design and Committee on Interior Architecture, Art into one of the largest and most admired civic engagement. Art Gensler has set was elected to Fellowship in the American firms in the industry. the example and provided the direction Institute of