Make the office a destination, not just an obligation
Timestamps are as accurate as they can be but may be slightly off. We encourage you to listen to the full context.
Podcast Summary
This Masters of Scale episode features Elizabeth Brink, co-CEO of Gensler, and Andy Cohen, global co-chair, discussing how their architectural and design firm has grown from 100 employees and $20 million revenue to nearly 7,000 people and $2 billion in annual revenue over six decades. (03:17) The conversation explores their unique collaborative leadership model, their approach to designing human-centered experiences rather than just buildings, and how they're leveraging AI and addressing climate change through sustainable design. (16:51) They also discuss the post-COVID workplace revolution and their decision to return to a five-day in-office model.
- Main Theme: How collaborative leadership, human-centered design principles, and strategic use of technology can drive massive scale while maintaining innovation and cultural values in a global creative services firm.
Speakers
Elizabeth Brink
Elizabeth Brink is co-CEO of Gensler, the global architecture and design firm with over 6,000 creative professionals across 57 offices worldwide. She leads the company's global team in creating human-centered design experiences that go beyond traditional architecture to focus on how people interact with and feel in spaces.
Andy Cohen
Andy Cohen is global co-chair of Gensler and spent over four decades with the company, joining when it had around 100 employees and helping scale it to nearly 7,000 people. He previously served as co-CEO alongside Diane Hoskins from 2005 and has been instrumental in developing Gensler's collaborative leadership model and global expansion.
Key Takeaways
Embrace Collaborative Leadership to Scale Innovation
Gensler operates on a co-leadership model at every level, from co-CEOs to co-heads of individual offices and practice areas. (08:27) Andy Cohen explains that "everyone has aces and spaces" - things they're great at and not so great at - and when people with different strengths come together, "one plus one equals five." The key to making this work is building trust and having the commitment to engage in difficult conversations rather than binary thinking. Elizabeth notes they often defer to each other's expertise and use mentors within the organization to gain perspective on disagreements. This approach allows them to leverage diverse talents and cover more ground than a single leader could manage.
Design From the Inside Out to Create Human-Centered Experiences
Rather than designing buildings from the outside in like traditional architects, Gensler focuses on understanding how people will feel and behave in spaces first. (05:45) This approach involves bringing multidisciplinary perspectives to teams and having a dedicated practice that focuses on understanding clients' underlying business needs, not just their stated problems. Andy explains they look at projects "from a user experience, how people feel in a space, the emotions that come from people in a space." This methodology has transformed corporate interiors and expanded into various building types, always prioritizing the human experience over aesthetic style.
Leverage Scale to Tackle Global Challenges Like Climate Change
With $2 billion in revenue and presence in over 100 countries, Gensler uses its scale to address massive challenges like climate change. (16:57) Elizabeth explains that "buildings are 40% of all carbon created in the world," positioning them uniquely to make a significant environmental impact. They're working with the largest concrete makers globally to develop lower-emission mixes and experimenting with alternative structural systems like mass timber. Their scale allows them to set new industry standards for materials and push entire supply chains toward more sustainable practices.
Make the Office a Destination, Not an Obligation
Post-COVID workplace design requires creating spaces that people want to be in rather than have to be in. (26:59) Gensler is removing rows of desks and creating more collaboration spaces - three-person conference rooms, five-person meeting areas, and living rooms with couches. They're also integrating hybrid technology with screens for seamless Zoom calls between in-office and remote participants. Elizabeth emphasizes that younger generations especially want to be in offices because they see the learning and social capital benefits. The key is providing choice and flexibility in work settings while ensuring the space offers something beyond what people can get at home.
Use AI to Accelerate Design Visualization and Decision-Making
Gensler has developed AI-enabled tools that dramatically reduce design visualization timelines from months to weeks. (24:24) Andy explains they can now "have multiple ideas and take our clients and bring them right into the space, making them feel the emotion of being actually in their finished space." Their AI suite includes blocking and planning tools, sustainability analysis, and space utilization optimization. The NVIDIA headquarters project exemplified this approach, using AI to optimize lighting, minimize walking distances through triangular building design, and track sun patterns for natural light optimization.
Statistics & Facts
- Gensler has grown from around 100 employees and $20 million in revenue when Andy Cohen joined to nearly 7,000 people and just over $2 billion in annual revenue today. (16:42)
- Buildings account for 40% of all carbon emissions created in the world, giving architecture firms like Gensler significant opportunity to impact climate change through design decisions. (17:09)
- 61% of people surveyed by Gensler said they made friends and built relationships with people outside of their race, religion, or age demographic at work, highlighting the workplace's role in building diverse social connections. (30:27)
