Art Gensler, founder of Gensler, has died at the age of 85.
By Kevin Truong and Michael Neibauer – Washington Business Journal. May 10, 2021
Art Gensler, an architect and entrepreneur who founded the world's largest architecture and design firm and helped lead it for more a half-century, has died of lung disease. He was 85.
The legendary fixture in the real estate industry died Monday in his sleep at his Mill Valley, California home, according to Gensler.
Born in New York and educated at Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, Gensler headed west to California to find his fortune. In 1965, Gensler founded his eponymous firm in San Francisco with his wife, Drue, one draftsman and $200 in the bank. Now, more than 55 years later, the company employees 5,200 people at 50 offices around the globe — at least 270 in D.C. — earning $1.55 billion in revenue in 2020.
“Art’s legacy on the industry is in how he elevated the interior design profession and drove innovation across an entire industry," Diane Hoskins, Gensler D.C.-based co-CEO, said in a statement. "His vision for our firm was that, together, designers and clients can solve the world’s biggest challenges. This has never been more important than it is right now.”
Gensler's firm helped to elevate the practice of space planning and interior design to a new level of professionalism within architecture industry. Among the company's early milestone projects in its native San Francisco were One Maritime Plaza, then known as the Alcoa Building, and 555 California St., formerly known as the Bank of America Building, where Gensler helped to pioneer architectural interiors for newly constructed office buildings.
In D.C., Gensler's portfolio runs the gamut: office buildings such as 99M, Signal House, the Boro tower and 2112 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; office spaces for the likes of The Washington Post, WTOP, Nestle USA, Hogan Lovells LLP, the Motion Picture Association, Host Hotels & Resorts and Leidos; educational efforts such as Marymount University's Ballston Center and George Washington University's Charles E. Smith Center; restaurants and entertainment venues like District Winery, Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab and PassionFish Bethesda; and massive planning efforts such as for Washington's 2024 Olympic bid and The View in Tysons.
Gensler stepped down from his CEO role in 2005 and as chairman in 2010, but remained as an adviser for the firm. In a 2016 interview, Gensler attributed the growth and success of the firm to its strong values and culture of collaboration.
“I’ve never been afraid of growth, but I never have grown just to grow and make more money,” said Gensler. “The mission was to do really good work, keep clients happy and...give back to community.”
A renowned philanthropist, in addition to his professional work, Art Gensler was known for his support of educational institutions like his alma mater Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, as well as California institutions including the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and SFMOMA.
Gensler is Greater Washington's second largest architecture firm and largest interior design firm, according to Washington Business Journal research. It reported $97.23 million in 2020 metro-area architecture billings, and more than $60 million in 2019 interior design billings.
Art Gensler was predeceased by his wife of nearly 60 years, Drucilla (Drue) Cortell Gensler, who died in 2017. He is survived by his four sons — David, Robert, Douglas and Kenneth — and a number of grandchildren.