Gensler: Reputation Around the World
The name “Art Gensler” typically brings an image to the mind of any person in the design world; whether that be of the company, the person, or simply the name. But little people know beyond the face of Gensler. How did this company grow to earn the impressive reputation it has today? It all goes back to his roots: Gensler’s positive childhood and close relationship to his mother and father impacted how he grew to have one of the most successful design firms in the world. This is demonstrated through the treatment of his employees and development of the entrepreneurial spirit, establishing lasting relationships with hundreds of companies, and making moves towards global exchange of knowledge.
Born in 1935 as Millard Arthur Gensler, Jr., Art Gensler was an only child to his mother, a phone company worker, and his father “Slats,” a ceiling tile salesman for Armstrong Cork Co. “He was one of the best architectural sales reps ever. He was all about service to the client,” Gensler says of his father- years down the road this would shape his own business philosophy. Art’s first job was as a union laborer for his dad- this gave him an exposure to architecture that was necessary for his future. Growing up in West Hartford, Conn., New York city seemed practically in his backyard. With Manhattan’s reputation as a centerpiece of architectural achievement, Gensler would eventually visit every art museum New York had to offer, giving him opportunities to engage in a more diverse culture and an exposure to the art and architectural aspects of a flourishing city. But growing up in such a place during the Great Depression also had more strict influences on the entrepreneur. “Depression mentality has still stayed with me. I don’t like debt and I don’t like borrowing money. I just like to know exactly where I’m going,” Gensler stated when recalling his father never borrowing money; something that became instilled in his mind at a young age. Later on, during World War II, he would go to Shelter Harbor each summer with his family, where he would admire the beauty of its beaches and experience growth in his family’s closeness: “People say, ‘Where did you get what you’ve got?’ And I suppose I got it from my dad and my mom. I really think there’s a thing about being an only child. You’re really close to them, and I was close to them.”
Gensler’s positive childhood and close relationship to his mother and father impacted how he grew to have one of the most successful design firms in the world. This is demonstrated is through the treatment of his employees. That “client-centered” approach once instilled by his father extends to the way the firm treats its employees. Gensler is committed to nurturing the careers of its employees and turning them into leaders in the profession. This can be seen is through the firm’s development of the Workplace Performance Index (WPI), a trademarked pre- and post-occupancy tool that measures workplace satisfaction, functionality, and performance across thousands of occupants of Gensler-related office properties. Also in 2012, the firm launched an “innovation funding” program that offered grants to groups of employees to start a new business within the firm, develop new products, or form partnerships with outside organizations that could lead to new approaches to the firm’s work. Gensler also has a profound cultural identity of shared ownership. Every employee owns a piece of the firm. The motto is “The One Firm Firm”—explaining that this is an essential key to fueling its entrepreneurial spirit. Another initiation of the firm was launching of “Make Your Mark” talent brand campaign on university campuses- this reinforced the firm’s focus on the individual and heightened the entrepreneurial spirit for future hires.
Another way Gensler’s positive childhood and close relationship to his mother and father impacted how he grew to have one of the most successful design firms in the world is demonstrated through establishing lasting relationships with hundreds of companies. When it comes to the firm, some business practices have not changed. This includes the client service approach that a young Art Gensler learned from his salesman father. As national developers and international markets flourished during the 1970s, Gensler opened offices wherever his clients touched down including “boomtowns” like Denver or Houston. The first global office was London, chosen in 1988, as Art stated; "Early on I made a commitment to my clients – if you need me, I'll be there." From there, Gensler went on to create its most notable design projects: John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Dubai, Houston Ballet Center for Dance, San Francisco International Airport, Facebook, Inc. offices in London, Duke Kunshan University in China and Shanghai Tower in China. The firm established master agreements with hundreds of companies, working in ninety countries this year. With more than 2,300 active clients, Gensler works across the global economy: their clients are remarkably diverse, and this is all due to Gensler’s philosophy of helping them grow, sustain and transform. “We service whatever they need, from the pedantic to the fabulous,” he says. “Our job is to focus on their needs, to be a trusted advisor and part of their team. That’s something all of us believe in. Three or four offices may work on a project, but the firm gets the credit and all the money goes in one pot.”
Another reason Gensler’s close relationship to his mother and father influenced the later successes of his career and firm is demonstrated through the company’s initiative of making moves towards global exchange of knowledge. Gensler’s exposure to arts and culture as a child influenced the launch of a major initiative- The Gensler Exchange. “This came out of our Vision 2020 effort, looking at who we are and where we want to be as a firm in 2020,” says Hoskins. “Even more so, Vision 2020 is examining how we as a firm can make a difference in the world—taking on audacious problems like energy and the global economy, problems that can benefit from the creativity of architects to sort through the issues.” The Gensler Exchange is comprised of four components: Global Intern, One to One, On Assignment, and Knowledge Exchange. “Global Intern” recruits non-U.S. talent for internships in U.S. hub offices and return them to their countries of origin for permanent work with Gensler., while “One to One” gives key individuals the opportunity to shadow a firm leader in another country for a week. “On Assignment” gives Gensler talent the chance to take on projects on other continents, and “Knowledge Exchange” enables a practice area mentor to establish or further develop Gensler offices in emerging markets, primarily in Asia and South America. These components are designed to move the firm’s people-and their ideas-around the world.
Gensler’s positive childhood and close relationship to his mother and father impacted how he grew to have one of the most successful design firms in the world. This is demonstrated through the treatment of his employees and development of the entrepreneurial spirit, establishing lasting relationships with hundreds of companies, and making moves towards global exchange of knowledge. Through growing up an only child in an immersive culture, Gensler was instilled with a philosophy that time and time again has allowed his company to be one of the most successful in the world: “The answer is simple. You hire the best people and respect
them, and let them be creative.”—Art Gensler