Spotlight On: Christopher Goggin, Principal & Co-Managing Director, Gensler
July 2025 — In an interview with Invest:, Christopher Goggin, co-managing director of global design and architecture firm Gensler in Nashville, said that diversification and adaptability are driving forces behind the office’s growth and evolving strategy. “We’re focused on strengthening our core competencies in healthcare tech, critical facilities, and hospitality.”
What changes over the past year have most impacted the organization, and in what ways?
For the Nashville studio specifically, the most significant impact over the past year has been the increase in work within critical facilities, hospitality, and our growing healthcare practice. Gensler was founded in 1965 as a workplace design firm focused primarily on office space. While that still accounts for about half, or slightly more, of our global project work annually, these other sectors are evolving rapidly. For an office like ours, having access to such a diverse range of project types in a short span has created a noticeable shift. It’s definitely changed the dynamic in our office over the past year.
How are shifts in workplace culture influencing demand for new office and shared-use environments in this region, and how is your team adapting?
We work on projects across the globe, including the Caribbean, Texas, Tennessee, and other parts of the country, and what we’re seeing is that workplace behavior is extremely regional. For example, Nashville came back to the office later than some other cities.
We conduct an annual global workplace survey broken down by industry, and the 2025 edition just launched. The data shows that while people still need to focus at work, one of the main reasons they’re coming into the office is to collaborate, socialize, and learn — more than they did pre-pandemic. So, we have to be intentional in designing environments that make that experience enjoyable, places that are visually and acoustically appealing, comfortable, and offer choice. If we want to earn someone’s commute, the space has to be worth it.
We’re no longer looking at workplace design through a single strategic lens. Instead, we focus on the total experience. Each industry and even individual offices within the same company will approach this differently, depending on their city. Nashville has its own unique personality and energy. Even the most traditional clients, such as law firms, are leaning into hospitality-inspired designs to attract and retain talent.
What we’re seeing is a trend toward standardized office footprints, allowing flexibility regardless of role. Some firms are even exploring on-demand offices for partners, which is a big psychological hurdle. Traditionally, larger offices have been status symbols — corner rooms, big windows — but that doesn’t align with current space usage.
We do a lot of consulting upfront to understand a firm’s priorities. If one operates in multiple cities, each location will need a unique solution. There’s no one-size-fits-all. So, we ask tailored “what, why, and how” questions at the outset to ensure our recommendations make sense for each individual market.
How is Gensler helping clients reimagine underperforming or stranded assets into more sustainable, flexible, and experience-driven places?
There’s definitely a trend here. With so many undervalued properties on the market, new opportunities are opening up for owners and developers. We have a proprietary office-to-residential conversion tool that helps us quickly assess a building’s potential for economical reuse.
But it’s not one-size-fits-all. In Nashville, it’s often neighborhood by neighborhood. I can think of one client in another city with significant real estate holdings. While there’s potential for conversion, the location — near an industrial zone by the airport — limits its appeal. We have to consider the entire urban context: what makes the place work, what the experience is like, and what synergies are possible.
We have analysts and economists who assess these properties so we can advise clients on the highest and best use based on detailed data. It’s not just design; it’s a business case backed by research.
How are you incorporating sustainability into your projects?
Sustainability is the biggest challenge — and responsibility — the industry faces. Gensler is the world’s foremost architecture and design firm, and with that comes an obligation to lead. We’ve made all our research public because we believe in elevating the profession and creating real impact.
Since we began tracking project benchmarks more than 20 years ago, we’ve worked on over 60,000 projects . Buildings are responsible for about 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, so our role is critical.
We’re setting embodied carbon targets for structural systems and materials, and we require Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for our projects. That allows us to track, measure, and improve. We’ve also created Gensler Product Sustainability Standards (GPS) to vet and remove products that don’t meet performance criteria. And we’ve made those standards public. We’re leading by example, and it’s been well received.
How does your work support broader goals like equity, livability, and resilience in changing environments like Nashville?
We’re acutely aware of the impact our projects have simply by existing. Great design can unintentionally harm communities if we’re not thoughtful. So, we bring all our global knowledge and apply it intentionally and locally.
Our Nashville team is deeply connected to the city. We’re committed to projects that make the city better, not just newer or bigger. We care about avoiding displacement to preserve the character of our neighborhoods. Each community has its own unique identity, and we aim to enhance that. We also consider the full life cycle of communities, from young professionals to retirees. A mix of age groups creates learning, connection, and community.
We’re working with universities and other institutions to incorporate senior living into their campus edges, creating spaces where lifelong learning meets lived experience.
How is the economic landscape impacting the industry, and what strategies are you using to navigate headwinds?
We’re still waiting to see a sustained turnaround. It’s not a clear up or down trend; it’s a fluctuating average right now. Developers are facing high borrowing costs. Those that are self-funded are keeping projects moving, but many are waiting for more economic certainty. Our strategy is to keep pushing ahead, making thoughtful, strategic hires and focusing on resilient sectors.
Right now, critical facilities, healthcare, and hospitality are leading. AI is also creating demand for more infrastructure. Office buildings are flat, but the other sectors are either stable or growing.
We’re optimistic, both globally and locally. Developers want to move forward, but they’re waiting for that confidence boost.
What are Gensler Nashville’s top strategic priorities for the next few years?
We’re focused on strengthening our core competencies in healthcare tech, critical facilities, and hospitality. Nashville is rapidly becoming a healthcare tech hub, and we recently completed an event and office space for Cressey & Company, co-founded by Sen. Bill Frist.
It’s a small space but an influential one. It’s where healthcare and tech leaders come together to exchange ideas. It emphasizes the need to maintain Nashville’s leadership in healthcare innovation, especially for future generations. That kind of work embodies our priorities: small in scale, big in impact.
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