Illustration: Doug Wittnebel
We sat down with design director Doug Wittnebel in the Gensler Oakland office to discuss how the emerging world of virtual game apps is exposing a universe of spatial journeys and strategy experiences that are challenging us to see and create space in new ways—and how they may impact design’s future.
Image courtesy Josh Rose
We are all consumers. We are increasingly living in an economy driven by the consumption of experiences, even at work. Purpose is the new convenience. Innovation is now driven by the pursuit of a better world. To appeal to emerging generations entering the workforce and yielding increased purchasing power, companies are recognizing that it’s no longer enough to offer an attractive benefits package or compelling offer; they have to be inspiring as well.
West Elm Workspace with Inscape - Conduit System. Image © West Elm.
Each year, thousands of architects, designers and executives descend upon NeoCon for a first look at new products and prototypes, and to check out the latest commercial interiors trends for a preview of where the industry is headed.
CBRE Los Angeles Headquarters, Image © Gensler/Ryan Gobuty
Dear Office Workers,
It’s about your stuff. I’m talking about the picture of your dog, your coffee cup with the clever saying, the row of shoes you may want to wear one day, or the collection of beer cozies you’ve collected over the years. It’s about your primordial need to keep that stuff on display. I get it. You are marking your territory. But here’s the problem. Your fear of losing your stuff is standing in the way of workplace progress.
Mark Pollock 
Brian Smale © 2017 Microsoft
The new reality of design is here, and it’s virtual. Creative imagination allows our clients to experience completed spaces in any stage of the design process. With the technology becoming faster and less expensive, it allows us to take the digital assets we are creating during the design process and evaluate them in the context of their environment.
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