PROJECTS
27 Items
Cincinnati Open
Mason, Ohio
The Cincinnati Open, one of the longest running tennis tournaments in the U.S., is undergoing a campus-wide renovation ahead of the 2025 tournament.
reGen: Recycling in Space
Austin, Texas
reGen is a concept for lunar missions that transforms waste into resources and paves the way for smarter, more sustainable recycling systems back here on Earth.
Centro West Block Office Building
Austin, Texas
Centro draws inspiration from the East Austin neighborhood, creating a mixed-use block designed to complement, enhance, and stitch together the urban fabric.
Fifth + Tillery
Austin, Texas
Reviving a post-industrial site in East Austin, Fifth + Tillery reimagines a large warehouse footprint as a vibrant indoor-outdoor creative office building.
University of Texas at Austin, Moody Center
Austin, Texas
Gensler helped the University of Texas consolidate its campus sports venues and create a LEED Gold Certified basketball arena and live music venue.
The University of Cincinnati Indoor Practice Facility and Performance Center
Cincinnati, Ohio
The University of Cincinnati Indoor Practice Facility and Performance Center is designed with a focus on innovation and enhancing the student-athlete experience
Whole Foods Market Headquarters
Austin, Texas
Whole Foods Market’s new office building is an addition to its amenity-rich urban campus in Austin with a design that supports its culture of innovation.
AT&T Discovery District
Dallas, Texas
Innovating at the intersection of technology, media, and culture, AT&T partnered with Gensler to rethink its headquarters’ role as a magnetic new public space for Downtown Dallas.
Emerson-NI Pilot Program
Austin, Texas
Emerson-NI, a company that creates automated test equipment and virtual instrumentation software, is working with Gensler to renovate its workplace campus.
Travis County Civil and Family Courts
Austin, Texas
Travis County formed a public/private partnership to construct a new Civil and Family Court Facility that better serves their constituents.
New York Red Bulls Training Complex
Morris Township, New Jersey
The New York Red Bulls partnered with Gensler to design a training facility that will bring professional, academy, and youth programs together under one roof.
Texas Athletics Basketball and Rowing Training Facility
Austin, Texas
For years, Texas Longhorn basketball has been located off-campus in the heart of downtown Austin. Starting in 2022, the Longhorns will finally move ‘home’ when The Moody Center opens on the main campus.
St. David’s Performance Center
Austin, Texas
The training facility for the MLS franchise, Austin FC, is designed to leverage the power of soccer to make a positive impact in community and youth wellness.
Q2 Stadium
Austin, Texas
Gensler Sports worked alongside Precourt Sports Ventures to design Q2 Stadium and soccer park at McKalla Place in Austin for the city’s first professional sports team, Austin FC.
Austin Community College Highland Campus Dillard’s Building 3000 Renovation
Austin, Texas
As part of a larger mixed-use development on the former site of Highland Mall, Gensler repositioned a four-story Dillard’s department store to serve the growing needs of Austin Community College and the surrounding community.
The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel
San Francisco, California
Built for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915, San Francisco’s Clift Hotel reclaims its iconic status through a complete renovation shaped by its rich history.
Moontower Student Housing
Austin, Texas
Moontower offers amenity-rich, contemporary housing steps away from the heart of the University of Texas at Austin campus.
Gensler Austin at Music Lane
Austin, Texas
Inspired by years of research into the employee experience and hospitality design concepts, Gensler Austin’s office in Music Lane offers a view into the modern workplace.
Sixth and Guadalupe
Austin, Texas
Austin’s tallest tower offers a new mixed-use urban experience and joins multifamily, office, and luxury retail space.
The Grove
Austin, Texas
The Grove is a legacy-quality mixed use neighborhood,and a model for innovative urban infill development.
City of Austin Permitting and Development Center
Austin, Texas
The Planning and Development Center (PDC) is a striking campus designed to attract, retain, and inspire top talent ― including the many millennials now entering the workforce ― and to serve the customers and citizens of Austin more effectively and conveniently.
SXSW Headquarters
Austin, Texas
SXSW’s headquarters reflects their culture of innovation, creative thinking, and sustainability.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport Expansion
Austin, Texas
Unprecedented growth of the Austin metro area has led to a significant increase in passenger traffic at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. To increase...
Fairmont Austin
Austin, Texas
Located downtown, next to the Austin Convention Center, this new 37-story, 1.4-million square-foot hotel is the third-tallest building in the city. With...
University of Texas at Austin
Howard L. Terry-Bobby Moses, Jr., Longhorn Locker Room
Austin, Texas
Gensler elevated the University of Texas’ football program with a redesign of the Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Center into a state-of-the-art center for players with integrated technology, distinctive branding, and first-class upgrades. The new locker room design sets a benchmark for university athletic centers, and propels the evolution of U.T. Athletics to a new level.
Austin Fraser
Austin, Texas
Austin Fraser, a specialist recruitment consultant company, tapped Gensler to design their offices in Austin, located on the 15th floor of the prestigious 500 West 2nd Street office tower.
Domain Northside
Austin, Texas
Domain Northside is the third phase of a 304-acre live/work/play development that offers a variety of retail, office, hotel, and residental spaces with...
REGIONAL LEADERSHIP
Judy Pesek
Regional Managing Principal
As South Central Regional Managing Principal and a founding member of Gensler’s Workplace Taskforce, Judy Pesek brings more than 40 years of experience rooted in deep client relationships and a long-time client following.
Cindy Simpson
Regional Managing Principal
Cindy Simpson is a Co-Regional Managing Principal and member of Gensler’s Board of Directors, as well as an International Interior Design Association Fellow.
OFFICE LEADERSHIP
Kirsten Cessna
Co-Managing Director, Principal
Kirsten Cessna is Co-Managing Director for Gensler Austin.
Todd Runkle
Managing Director, Principal
Todd is the Co-Managing Director of Gensler Austin. Under his leadership the office has grown from five professionals to nearly 100 in just 10 years.
LEADERSHIP
David Lynch
Studio Director, Principal
David Lynch is an award-winning architect and Studio Director at Gensler Austin.
Edward Muth
Principal
Ed has more than 19 years of architectural experience successfully leading corporate campus, commercial office building, retail, financial services, and workplace projects. Ed h...
John Houser
Design Director, Entertainment Leader, Principal
John Houser is a Design Director in Gensler Austin known for his attention to client needs and problem-solving ability fueled by inspired, creative thinking.
Jonathan Emmett
Design Director, Principal
Jonathan Emmett is Principal and Design Director at Gensler who has dedicated his career to the design of sports venues and training facilities.
Kirk Funkhouser
Studio Director, Principal
Kirk Funkhouser is a Studio Director in Gensler’s Austin office.
Kristin Byrd
Sports Leader, Design Director
Kristin Byrd is a Sports Leader and a Design Director for Gensler’s Sports practice, based in Austin.
Luis Santi-Merayo
Design Director, Principal
Luis Santi-Merayo brings a unique understanding of culture, craft, and aesthetic to every project, drawing upon his education in Spain and Portugal.
Pete Chalfant
Hospitality Leader
Pete Chalfant is a regional Hospitality Leader at Gensler, delivering impactful hospitality projects, ranging from 65-key properties to 2,000-key hotels.
Steve Hudson
Regional Operating Officer, Principal
Steve is a licensed CPA and the Regional Operating Officer for our South Central Region. His career spans more than 30 years, 20 of which have been devoted to the architecture i...
Travis Albrecht
Design Director, Principal
Travis Albrecht is a Design Director in Gensler Austin who has experience with a vast array of project types, from commercial office buildings to education.
NEWS & RECOGNITION
Following a Massive Renovation by Gensler, the Cincinnati Open Brings Out a Record Number of Fans
Serve On SI spotlighted how Gensler reimagined the Cincinnati Open with more practice courts, upgraded hospitality, and modernized facilities. Design Director Kristin Byrd said, “We wanted to create something that was going to push this tournament into a new era.”
August 20, 2025
Gensler’s reGen: Recycling in Space Concept Catches the Eye of NASA
Texas Standard interviewed Gensler’s Kirsten Cessna, who detailed how the concept for recycling “space junk” leveraged AI, robotics, and digital twin technologies to guide the design, which could have applications “not just in outer space, but also here on Earth.”
August 18, 2025
The Second Serve Spotlights the Updated Cincinnati Open, Inspired by Roman Stadiums
The Cincinnati Open underwent a $260 million renovation led by Gensler. Design Director Kristin Byrd explained that the design was inspired by the sunken courts of 20th-century Roman stadiums.
August 11, 2025
The Reimagined Cincinnati Open Is “Grander Than Ever” Following a $260 Million Upgrade
Yahoo Sports featured the transformed Cincinnati Open, which Gensler’s Kristin Byrd says will make “an enormous impact for many generations to come.” The upgrade includes a six-court facility and a new clubhouse.
August 03, 2025
Fast Company Explores How New Stadiums Are Designed to Beat Extreme Heat
Gensler Sports Leader Ryan Sickman discussed Gensler’s designs at Austin’s Q2 Stadium and at Cairo’s Al-Ahly Football Club, which features sunken seating and a perforated facade to support ventilation.
July 25, 2025
Tradeline Inc. Highlighted Athletic Facilities Designed To Support Women at All Levels
Gensler’s Demetra Thornton, Kristin Byrd, Marine Maroukian, and Elizabeth Pritchett, noted the need to design spaces that “support the many hats that a lot of these female athletes are wearing.”
July 23, 2025
Gensler Completes the Sixth and Guadalupe Skyscraper, Austin’s Tallest Building
Sixth and Guadalupe is now the tallest building in Austin, rising 865 feet tall. The mixed-use tower features retail, office, and residential space, with terraces and balconies throughout.
January 23, 2025
gb&d Explored the Popularity of Outdoor Workplaces and Featured the Gensler-Designed Fifth + Tillery and 167 Green Street
gb&d featured Fifth + Tillery, a multi-tenant office building in Austin with a hybrid timber structural system and 167 Green Street, a mixed-use office building with abundant outdoor amenities.
January 02, 2025
Designing Workplaces To Strengthen Connection and Combat Loneliness
Work Design Magazine shared ideas from Gensler Interior Designer Lauren Vogel on the workplace’s key role in fighting against the growing loneliness epidemic.
September 10, 2024
Forbes Spotlighted Plans To Elevate the Fan Experience and Enhance Facilities at the Cincinnati Open
Designed by Gensler, the upgrade of the tournament site in Ohio will update the main stadiums, add a sunken court, and nearly double the number of courts and more than double space for player amenities.
May 20, 2024
Fast Company Covered Key Findings From Gensler’s 2024 Global Workplace Survey
The survey polled over 16,000 office workers about how they are using the office today. Global Workplace Research Director Janet Pogue McLaurin explained the top factors driving high-performing workplaces.
May 15, 2024
The Gensler-Designed Sixth and Guadalupe Skyscraper in Austin is Nearing Completion
The “trapezoidal” super-high rise will reach 865 feet tall and feature a mix of residential, office, and retail spaces.
February 01, 2024
Gensler and Rafael de La-Hoz Will Design the New Benito Villamarín Stadium
Real Betis’ Benito Villamarín Stadium aims to create a new icon for the Spanish city of Seville.
August 18, 2023
Gensler Austin Tops Austin Business Journal’s List of Top Commercial Interior Design Firms
The 2023 Austin Business Journal list of commercial interior design firms is a reflection of Austin’s resilience in midst of changing times.
August 11, 2023
The City of Austin Permitting and Development Center Represents a New Phase of Development
Gensler designers discuss the strategy that guided the design of the City of Austin Permitting and Development Center, which aims to elevate the public’s experience of civic processes.
July 03, 2023
What Architects and Manufacturers Can Do To Combat Climate Change
Architect Magazine shared insights from Gensler Austin Principal Travis Albrecht about impactful sustainable design strategies.
June 08, 2023
Fifth + Tillery
2023 A+Awards – Popular Choice Winner, Sustainable Commercial Building
May 30, 2023
University of Texas’s Moody Center Wins 2023 AIA Austin Design Award of Merit
Gensler’s design of the Moody Center basketball and events arena was honored with a 2023 AIA Austin Design Award of Merit.
May 18, 2023
Gensler and NI Beta Tested Office Prototypes to Land on NI’s New Flexible Workplace Design
Based on employee feedback and data over six months, the team landed on a flexible workplace design with collaboration zones, huddle rooms, and conference rooms.
February 10, 2023
INSIGHTS
Blog
How the Nighttime Economy Is Rewriting Urban Design
Cities around the world are beginning to take the nighttime economy seriously — not as a separate or secondary system, but as a vital counterpart to daytime urban life.
Research
City Pulse 2025
Gensler surveyed 33,000 people across 65 cities to uncover what makes a city magnetic — how it attracts new residents and keeps them wanting to stay.
Blog
Latin American Malls: The New Town Square
Malls across Central and South America are layered, experience-rich destinations that bring people together.
Research
Global Workplace Survey 2025
Gensler’s Global Workplace Survey 2025 reveals the importance of in-person work and insights on how workplaces can be better designed to support all forms of work for individuals and teams.
Sustainability
Resilience by Design
Our Resilience by Design Report presents solutions for transforming the built environment to achieve a net zero carbon impact across our portfolio and the design industry.
Research
U.S. Legal Workplace Survey 2025
We surveyed U.S. lawyers to understand how they are working across five work modes — and what spaces can support them to do their best work.
Blog
Designing a New Future of Cities Through Wellness and Experience Design
How cities can take an active role in fostering healthier, more fulfilling urban lives for residents and visitors.
Research
Evolving Immersive: The 2025 Immersive Entertainment & Culture Industry Report
Explore the most comprehensive evaluation of the state of Immersive Experience available today, published in partnership by Gensler and the Immersive Experience Institute.
Design Forecast
Design Forecast 2025
Explore Gensler’s Design Forecast 2025, a collection of the top global design trends that are shaping the future of the human experience and the built environment.
Blog
Designing Workplaces to Strengthen Connection and Combat Loneliness
The workplace plays a key role in fighting against the growing loneliness epidemic.
Blog
The “Mental Load” and Its Effect on Athlete Performance
We can help reduce athletes’ mental load by including specific amenities in training facilities and giving them the space and time to focus on being at the top of their game.
Blog
The Impact of Inclusive Design on Children’s Health and Happiness
By using inclusive design strategies in city and urban planning, we can build spaces that allow children to flourish, learn, play, and grow.
Blog
How Technology Is Redefining the Fan Experience at Sports and Music Venues
In this Q&A, our Digital Experience Design and Sports leaders discuss how technology is currently being used to streamline venue operations and enhance the fan experience.
Blog
Gensler Voices: Justin Rankin on The Duty of Design
Justin Rankin, a practice area leader for Gensler Austin, shares more about habits and design impact.
Blog
Elevating the “Standing Room Only” Fan Experience in Sports Venues
In recent years, sports design focused on the premium fan experience. But how can we cater to the standing-room only crowd and make them feel part of the venue experience?
Blog
Why Hospitality Must Adopt the “Leave No Trace” Mindset
By embracing “Leave No Trace” ideas, we can raise the bar on placemaking that brings people together, elevates natural and urban spaces, and preserves the Earth.
Blog
Trends to Watch: How the Rise of Women’s Professional Sports Is Impacting Venue Design
We talked to six leaders from Gensler’s sports practice about new trends informing the planning and design for the boom in women’s professional sports teams.
Blog
How to Design Practice Facilities Centered on Athletes’ Mental Health
Sports training facilities and performance centers are emphasizing supporting spaces focused on mental health, a key factor in an athlete’s development and overall success.
Blog
Immersive Experiences: A Movement Beyond Fad
In the rapidly evolving technology landscape in the built environment, immersive digital experiences are not a fleeting fad; they have become an expectation.
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