Reactivating City Cores: Converting Offices into Homes Across Asia

Reactivating City Cores: Converting Offices into Homes Across Asia

Across Asia, city centers face a growing paradox: office buildings sit half-empty while demand for housing continues to rise. How can we breathe new life into these underused spaces and create vibrant, livable communities? In this episode of the Gensler Design Podcast, host David Calkins speaks with Tan E Hun, Executive Director at REFSA, and Yvette Koh, Gensler’s Repositioning and Building Transformation Lead, to explore the shift from single-use office districts to mixed-use neighborhoods. Together, they discuss the opportunities, challenges, and design strategies behind converting offices into homes, and how existing buildings can be reimagined to support sustainable, human-centered urban futures.

The Factories of the Digital Age: Designing the Infrastructure Behind the Cloud

In 2024, global investment in data centres hit a record $57 billion, transforming how we build and power the digital world. From sprawling hyperscale campuses to compact edge facilities, this growth is reshaping conversations around speed, scale, sustainability, and resilience. In this episode of the Gensler Design Podcast, host David Calkins sits down with John Taylor, Regional Practice Area Lead for Critical Facilities, to explore the forces driving the next generation of data centres. They discuss how AI is accelerating data demand, how designers are building faster while planning for long-term flexibility, and how Gensler’s Data Centre Configurator Tool is revolutionizing early-stage design and client decision-making.

The Dollars and Sense of Green Buildings

Green buildings go beyond sustainability, they are a smart economic strategy too. By lowering operating costs, increasing property values, and driving new industries, sustainable design is shaping the future of our economy. In this episode of Beyond Blueprints, a mini-series created in collaboration with Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA), we dive into the financial advantages of going green. Join our host, David Calkins, as he speaks with Tan Chee Kiat, Deputy CEO of Industry Development at BCA, and Angela Spathonis, Managing Director of Gensler Singapore. Together, they explore the economic rationale behind sustainable design and discuss how policies and green building practices benefit both the planet and the economy.

Creating Value Through Design: The Art of Repositioning and Adaptive Reuse

In the Gensler Design Forecast 2025 report, five pivotal trends shaping the future of the built environment were identified. Among them, one stands out for its transformative potential: the growing momentum behind repositioning and adaptive reuse. As outdated office spaces and evolving workplace dynamics continue to reshape urban landscapes, the urgency to reimagine central business districts as vibrant, mixed-use lifestyle hubs has never been greater. In this episode, host David Calkins is joined by Chinatsu Kaneko, Co-Managing Director of Gensler Tokyo, and Keisuke Kobayashi, Design Director at Gensler Tokyo. Together, they explore the art and strategy of repositioning and adaptive reuse, offering insights into how these approaches are redefining cities, communities, and the future of design.

Unlocking the Secrets of Net Zero Buildings

According to the United Nations, over 140 countries, including major emitters like China, the United States, India, and the EU, have committed to net-zero targets, covering approximately 88% of global emissions. At Gensler, we’re dedicated to achieving a zero-carbon portfolio by 2030 through our Gensler Cities Climate Challenge. The urgency for environmentally conscious design and the adoption of net-zero energy strategies has never been greater. In this episode, join our host, David Calkins, along with Prescott Gaylord, Head of Sustainability for Corporate Real Estate Strategy & Administration at DBS Bank, and Erik L'Heureux, Dean's Chair Associate Professor in the Department of Architecture at the National University of Singapore, as they delve into the latest trends in net-zero design, the challenges of implementation in the region, and their vision for the future of our built environment.