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BA [HONS] ARCHITECTURE Level 5

ArC5011 MANAGEMENT PRACTICE + LAW

PRAXIS WORK PLACEMENT REPORT


by Tatiana Pachina
Date: 18-29 April 2016
Location: Birmingham, UK
Course Tutor: Ian Shepherd

Placement provider: Gensler


Placement Address:
Gensler, Studio 405-409, 4th Floor
Custard Factory, Scott House, Gibb
Street, Digbeth, Birmingham, B9
4AA, UK
Placement Phone No:
+44 (0)121 260 1600
Placement website:

http://www.gensler.com/

Content:

SECTION A: THE PRACTICE

SECTION B: PROJECTS

SECTION C: PLACEMENT DIARY

Diary -------------------------------17

Formation -------------------------------4

Project Sectors and Typical Projects ---13

Motivation to start up in practice ----4

Most notable projects ---------------------14 Personal reflections -------------21

Background of key members ----------5

Marketing, Getting work,

Unique features -------------------------7

Competitions, Speculative work ----------15

Locations ---------------------------------8

Size of practice --------------------------9

Sources --------------------------22

Philosophy/Brand -----------------------10
Company Values -------------------------11
Company ethos --------------------------11
Architectural approach -----------------11

SECTION A: THE PRACTICE

Motivation to start up in
practice

Formation
The formation of the
practice began on 1 of
August 1965 when
Arthur Gensler decides
to start his own firm on
a part-time basis while

Art Gensler and Jim Follett

working at Wurster Bernardi & Emmons. In 1966 the first


office opened at 555 Clay St. in SF with Art Gensler, Jim
Follett and Drue Gensler (part time).

Arthur Gensler started the firm based on a new practice


area that didn't exist before, which was workplace.
Architects were designing buildings focusing on the exterior
and not really paying attention to the interior. Arthur
wanted to demonstrate that there's as much thought and
design possible on the inside as there is on the exterior.
That created a unique opportunity for the firm to establish
a new market and create something that didn't exist
before. That spirit carries on today: Gensler is very much
an innovative place. Alistair Cory, the Birmingham office
leader, says that the firm was always considering and
working with different fields like business, interior design,
architecture, community etc. One of the biggest
motivations was the peoples design talent.

Today, Gensler is a global architecture, design, and


planning firm with 46 locations and more than 5,000
professionals networked across Asia, Europe, Australia, the
Middle East and the Americas. The firm serves more than
3,500 active clients in virtually every industry. Gensler
designers strive to make the places people live, work and
The motivation to start up the latest 46th office in
play more inspiring, more resilient and more impactful. The Birmingham was the economy, design talent, location and
firm celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015.
little competition, because the firm is working in full
spectrum of the architectural and design work, which not
Birmingham Gensler office opened in January 2016.
every architectural firm can offer. The office has a great
chance to be involved in Birmingham development,
particularly, Digbeth where it is located.

Background of key members


Founder
M. Arthur Gensler Jr. is a founder of the firm. An architect, he is widely credited with
elevating the practice of interior design to professional standing. He is a Fellow of both
the American Institute of Architects and the International Interior Design Association, and
a professional member of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Art graduated from
Cornell Universitys College of Architecture, Art and Planning and is a member of its
Advisory Council. A charter member of Interior Design magazines Hall of Fame and a
recipient of IIDAs Star Award, he has also received Ernst & Young LLPs Lifetime
Achievement Award and the Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year Award. In 2015, he wrote
Arts Principles to offer todays entrepreneurs the business insights he wishes someone
had given him when he was starting out.

Birmingham office:
Office Leadership
Alistair Cory is a Leader of U.K. Regional Markets, Health & Wellness Practice Area
Leader, Senior Associate and Birmingham office. With considerable experience in strategic
and management delivery across a broad range of sectors, Alistair guides Gensler's growth
throughout the U.K. markets and EMEA region and co-leads the firms Health & Wellness
Practice Area. A skilled architect, project manager and business leader, Alistair is driven
by the transformational power of great design. He applies his expertise gleaned through
projects ranging from leisure and healthcare to education and science to hone his
project approach: challenging the project brief, injecting fresh thinking to solve
problems, seeking out efficiencies, and delivering more for less. Alistair received a Master
of Arts and Bachelor of Arts from Oxford Brookes University and holds a Business
Leadership degree from Henley Management College.

Regional Leadership
Chris Johnson is a Regional Managing Principal. Innovation, exploration and passion drive Chris to push
boundaries, both with clients and with design teams. As Managing Principal and Creative Director for
Genslers EMEA Region, Chris combines his international business insight with exceptional design talent. An
award-winning architect, he is the creative force behind a number of our firms landmark architectural
and planning projects. Chris has served on the Gensler Board of Directors and currently serves on the
Management Committee as a Global Design Leader. A frequent speaker at forums and conferences, Chris
also participates on design awards juries worldwide. He holds a B.A. (Hons) in Architecture and a Diploma
in Architecture from Birmingham School of Architecture, U.K.
Duncan Swinhoe is a Regional Managing Principal. Duncan brings a passion for design, strategy and the
community where he works and lives to his roles as Managing Principal and Design Director for Genslers
EMEA Region. Heavily invested in the local community and emerging markets, Duncan is spearheading the
growth of the Media, Entertainment, Commercial Office Building Developers and Technology Practices
across Europe. He co-led the creation of Genslers Commercial Office Building Developers Practice and has
gained a deep knowledge of the issues affecting how people work. Duncan serves on Genslers Board of
Directors and Management Committee and is responsible for leveraging the best of the firms global
platform for clients firmwide. Educated at the University of Washington in Seattle, Duncan earned a B.A.,
with Honours, from the University of Liverpool

Leadership
Enrico Caruso is a Design Director, Principal. Having delivered a wide range of projects in the U.K.,
Europe and the Middle East, Enrico is adept at balancing an organizations business drivers and its
corporate culture to develop a tailored and responsive work environment. His expertise spans many
industries, including Financial Services, Professional Services, Telecommunications, Media, Technology and
Hospitality. As a Design Principal in our London office and Media Practice Leader for the EMEA region,
Enrico brings an inclusive and collaborative approach that extends to his role as guest tutor at two of the
U.K.s leading design schools, where he nurtures and recruits the industrys next-generation talent. Enrico
received his Diploma in Creative Arts and Interior Design from Dawson College and is a member of the
Chartered Society of Designers.

Company formation and organization


Gensler is a privately held company owned by its
staff.

Unique features
The interesting thing about Gensler is that it's not
just doing big projects or particular type of
projects, but there are all kinds of projects. Such
a broad range of work is what allows Gensler to
be successful, because they can integrate
themselves into almost any part of the project.
Gensler operates as a one firm firm. It makes it
very easy for teams to reach out to the expert on
any particular subject and collaborate with each
other regardless of the location. Gensler operate
as one entire unit, regardless of the number of
offices they have.
Visualizations that the firm produces could be
considered as another feature. They are of a
great quality and communicate the ideas clearly
to the client. You can see the examples on the
right.

Locations
Gensler has a network of 46 locations around the globe:

Asia Pacific

EMEA

North America

Bangalore

Abu Dhabi

Atlanta

La Crosse

Phoenix

Bangkok

Birmingham

Austin

Las Vegas

Pittsburgh

Beijing

Dubai

Baltimore

Los Angeles

Raleigh-Durham

Hong Kong

London

Boston

Miami

San Diego

Seoul

Charlotte

Minneapolis

San Francisco

Shanghai

Mexico City

Chicago

Morristown, NJ

San Jose

Singapore

San Jos, Costa Rica

Dallas

New York

Seattle

Sydney

So Paulo

Denver

Newport Beach

Tampa

Detroit

Oakland

Toronto

Houston

Philadelphia

Washington, D.C

Tokyo

Latin America

Size of practice
Gensler offices are of all kinds of sizes (small,
medium, large).
Birmingham office has only 7 members of staff while
in London office there are 270 people and globally
there are about 5200 people working in Gensler

Company Philosophy

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Company Values

Company ethos

Passion We are passionate about the work we do and the people with whom we
work.

Transformation of the organizations and improvement of peoples lives

Curiosity We encourage people to pursue their interests deeply, believing that


by sharing their expertise and experiences with others, they will enrich and
nourish our work.

Simplicity The issues we encounter in our work are often complex, but we
strive to make our analysis clear and our strategies and solutions straightforward
and easily understood.

Taking multi-disciplinary approach to enable discovery and innovation

Belief in the wisdom of ideas from around the world to enrich our firm
and our work
Vision:
To be the global design firm that redefines what is possible through the
power of design.

Integrity Our honesty, fairness, and respect for others is fundamental to how
we conduct ourselves in the world-the source of our reputation as a firm and as a
professional community. Trust is born of integrity tested over time. It also reflects
the personal and collective responsibility we take for the quality of our work and
the consequences of our actions.

Architectural approach

Excellence The bar of great design is constantly being raised. The starting
point for every new assignment is the best thats gone before. Setting a new
benchmark is always the goal.

Gensler is organized to support clients at every stage of the design cycle,


from initial strategy and design planning through implementation and
management.

Purpose We are students of our clients enterprises and the motivations that
direct their use of our services. We manage our work to support their goals and
encourage innovation in every aspect of an assignment, from strategy and
concept through delivery and use.

Culture Working around the world means meeting each other on common
ground. We respect cultural diversity, knowing how it enriches our firm and our
work, making both better.

Balance We respect personal priorities. We know that our personal and


professional lives must be in balance. We foster an environment of camaraderie
and support, which reinforces personal values and achievement.

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SECTION B: PROJECTS

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Project Sectors and Typical Projects


WE'VE DONE PEOPLE'S RESIDENCES. WE'VE DONE WINE
LABELS. WE'VE DONE, OBVIOUSLY, REALLY SUPER TALL
BUILDINGS. THE RANGE IS INCREDIBLE

Genslers integrated network serves a cross-section of the global


economy through the following practice areas:

Arts & Culture

Aviation & Transportation

Brand Design

Commercial Office Building

Developers

Consulting

Consumer Goods

Convention Centers

Corporate Campuses

Critical Facilities

Defense & Aerospace

Education

Energy

Entertainment

Financial Services Firms

Hospitality

Landlord Services

Government

Health & Wellness

Life Sciences

Media

Mixed Use

Not-for-Profit

Planning & Urban Design

Product Design

Professional Services Firms

Residential

Retail

Retail Centers

Sports

Tall Buildings

Technology

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Most notable projects

Shanghai Tower

Abu Dhabi Financial Centre

Westin Denver International Airport, Denver, Colorado

TechHub: Brand Design


London, United Kingdom

Gensler Costa Rica


San Jos, Costa Rica

14

Marketing, Getting work,


Competitions, Speculative work

How does the practice market itself?

Gensler market itself through the relationship between firms,


clients; website, blog, social media, publications

How do they win work?

Master service agreements, frameworks, businesses, clients

Do they enter competitions?

Yes, sometimes

Yes

Do they undertake speculative work?

Genslers annual
publication.
Our looking at whats
ahead for design examines
how well live, work and
play a decade out in the
cities of 2025.

Interior Designs Gensler


50
Interior Design dedicated
its November 2015 issue as
a special commemorative
tribute, cover to cover,
recognising Genslers 50th
anniversary.

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SECTION C: PLACEMENT DIARY

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Work Placement Experience Diary


General information:
Date:
Category of Experience:
Location:
Course Tutor:
Placement Provider:
Placement Address:

18-29 April
Level 5 Work Placement
UK
Ian Shepherd
Gensler
Gensler
Studio 405 409, 4th Floor Custard Factory
Scott House, Gibb Street, Digbeth,
Birmingham, B9 4AA, UK

Placement Phone No:


Placement Website:
Students Phone No:
Students Email:

+44 (0)121 260 1600 Main


http://www.gensler.com/
07463104287
tpachina0406@gmail.com

Brief Description of
Placement Provider:

Architecture Practice

Practice Mentor:
Mentors Email:
Mentors Phone No:

Elspeth McLelland
elspeth_mclelland@gensler.com
+44 (0)121 260 1602

BRUM TEAM MEMBERS:


Alistair Cory
Anila Safeer
Elspeth McLelland
Josh Wickens
Gurtake Singh
Phil Twiss
Rob Edwards
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Week 1

Date

Project name/Meeting/Event

Task/ What I was doing

No
hours

18.04.16

Team meeting
Introduction

Meeting members of staff


Familiarization with office facilities /
health and safety orientation

1
0.5
0.5

Retail Project, Custard Factory

Site visit, take photos


Precedence research, sketching ideas,
Sketch up model

0 1 2

19.04.16

Retail Project, Custard Factory

Sketching, Sketch up model

20.04.16

Retail Project, Custard Factory


AutoCAD lesson form Josh Wickens

Sketch up model
Basic skills, tools, printing AutoCAD file,
drawing in AutoCAD

5
3

21.04.16

Project - Gensler Birmingham Office


Roof expansion

Getting the brief, printing an AutoCAD


roof plan of the building and office floor
plan, sketching ideas

0 1 2

22.04.16

Project - Gensler Birmingham Office


Roof expansion
Meeting with Phil Twiss

Sketch plans

Meeting, questions

RIBA
Work Stages:

18

Date

Project name/Meeting/Event

Task/ What I was doing

No hours

25.04.16

Photoshoot for BCU website, Meeting with


Kevin Singh

Project - Gensler Birmingham Office Roof


expansion

Brief talk about the work


experience; writing answers for
student profile questions for BCU
website
Sketch plans

Project - Gensler Birmingham Office Roof


expansion
Meeting with Anila Safeer
Meeting with Josh Wickens

Sketch plans, AutoCAD

Meeting, questions
Meeting, questions

1
1

Project - Gensler Birmingham Office Roof


expansion
Meeting with Alistair Cory

Sketch plans, AutoCAD

Meeting, questions

Project - Gensler Birmingham Office Roof


expansion
Meeting with Rob Edwards

Sketch plans, AutoCAD

Meeting, questions

Meeting and walk around Birmingham with


Gurtake Singh

Looking at paces where future


projects will be and Gurtakes
design work in Birmingham

Project - Gensler Birmingham Office Roof


expansion

Working in AutoCAD

26.04.16

Week 2

27.04.16

28.04.16

29.04.16

RIBA
Work Stages:

2 3
7
2 3

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Project - Gensler Birmingham


Office Roof expansion
Project Brief:
Design one or two additional floors of the office to accommodate
200 staff
The office should:
be a glowing beacon for Gensler and the Custard Factory
looking back towards the City
support the future growth of Gensler Birmingham
Support areas: Storage, Larger library/ maker area, Meeting
areas/ rooms, Lounge, Quiet/ focused work locations, Optimize
on views and vistas, External break out (BBQ/ Roof Terrace),
WCs, Additional shower, Kitchenette, Bar, DJ Area, Relaxation
zone

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Personal reflections

How did you like this 2 weeks practice? What affect/influence has the placement had on you and your approach to architecture,
your education, and your thoughts for the year out?

In my opinion, the placement was the best part of the second year. It was a great opportunity to see how architects and
designers work together in a real life, get a feel of what is it like to work in the architecture industry. The Birmingham
Gensler office is new and there are only 7 members of staff. I had a chance to talk to all of them, find out what projects
they were working on and ask all the questions that I had. They gave me a creative task to come up with some ideas and
concepts for a project that the office is planning to do in a future the extension of their current Birmingham office on a
roof. It was interesting to try designing something for Gensler and asking what they think about it. I also enjoyed being in a
small office and I think that is the kind of size of the practice I would like to work in during my year out. I think it would be
nice if 2 weeks practice could become an annual thing (or at least in 2 and 3 year), so students can get a fell of different
practice sizes and different Architectural firms.

This work placement was a good experience for me and is an additional thing that I can put in my CV. I found out some new
things about the industry and the work of an architect in general. I have learned some new skills working in Sketch up and
AutoCAD. In the end, I have made some connections with the real world of architecture, which I hope can help me in the
future.
My plans for next couple of years are to finish my bachelor and get a year work experience here in the UK or in Russia.

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Sources:

http://www.gensler.com/

http://stories.chaosgroup.com/Gensler/

http://www.custardfactory.co.uk/uncategorized/global-design-firm-gensler-comes-tobirminghams-custard-factory/

Gensler Design Forecast 2016

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