Future Cities: Architecture for a New World with Andy Cohen and Diane Hoskins

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We design millions upon millions of square feet of buildings around the world, impacting millions of lives every day […] So what we’re saying is, let’s make our buildings sustainable from scratch, whether a client’s asking for it or not. That’s our responsibility.

Andy Cohen, global co-chair of Gensler

We recognize that this is a big world and it’s complicated and that everyone that sits in the seats that Andy and I sit in have tough decisions to make. We have lots of stakeholders, lots of context, and we have to respect each other’s context…And what we’ve said from the beginning is we’re going to do what we can to be part of the solution.

Diane Hoskins, global co-chair of Gensler

Gensler began as a corporate interior design firm in the 1960s. Today, it is the world’s largest architecture firm in terms of revenue and staff. In 2023, Gensler employed 6,000 professionals across 53 offices globally, reaching 3,500 clients in more than 100 countries.

The influence of this firm within the building and design industry cannot be overstated. Given its reach, it is encouraging that Gensler consistently demonstrates concern over its global corporate responsibility. In the last 20 years, Gensler’s co-CEOs Andy Cohen and Diane Hoskins have become notable figures for their talent in design and business leadership, but also for their thoughtful consideration of the company’s climate and equity impacts. Accordingly, they have been asked to speak many times before the United Nations and other global audiences.

Earlier this year, Andy and Diane accepted new roles as Gensler’s global co-chairs. Marking this transition, they have recently published what could be considered a culminative reflection of their time at the firm thus far, including the two decades they spent as co-CEOs. “Design for a Radically Changing World” explores the potential within the design sector to address some of the world’s most pressing issues, from significantly reducing carbon emissions to reconnecting and uplifting historically disinvested communities.

In this episode, Ten Across founder Duke Reiter talks with Andy Cohen and Diane Hoskins about findings in this latest book, comparing the efficacy of Gensler’s design forecasts from 10 years past, and traveling through more than 40 years of the firm’s history. As industry pioneers, they help us imagine the characteristics of the future city, specifically through the lens of innovative architecture and urban design.

Feature photo credit: Photography by Zack Benson, courtesy of Gensler.

Guest Speakers