Staying power: How architect Jeanne Gang plans ahead of obsolescence
US architect Jeanne Gang established Studio Gang in 1997 and has since built an expansive portfolio of parks, community centres and public institutions. She has also picked up numerous accolades – among them Monocle’s civic architect of the year award in 2025 – and is presenting work at the Venice Biennale’s 19th International Architecture exhibition. Key projects include Populus, a new hotel in Denver with a green roof and distinct white façade, and Verde, a residential tower that doubles as a social hub for a new San Francisco neighbourhood. Both are outstanding examples of Gang’s approach to practice, which seeks to connect people, their communities and the environment.
Tell us about Studio Gang’s approach to architecture. Do you have a defined system that you apply to all of your work?
Our core principles come through in how we approach every project, starting with context and what’s already on site. That doesn’t just involve the environment but also people, geology, history and existing buildings. The goal is to work resourcefully, reusing what’s available. It’s about making architecture less wasteful and more rooted in place. We’re meeting people where they are and translating something intangible into a physical space.
Where do you see opportunities for architects to improve?
Lowering carbon emissions is a huge priority. There’s always more that we can do by using fewer materials, working with existing structures and reducing reliance on concrete and steel. But it’s also about designing buildings that don’t become obsolete. At our Populus project in Denver, for instance, we designed a hotel that could transition into residential units. That way, the building evolves instead of being torn down and replaced. We also rethought how it engages with its surroundings. Instead of a big underground parking garage, we focused on creating active street-level spaces.
How do you avoid banality in architecture?
A big challenge in large-scale developments is uniformity. When everything is built at once, it can feel too homogeneous. A great neighbourhood develops over time, with layers of history, adaptation and evolution. But when you don’t have that advantage, you have to build in richness from the start. One way to do that is by balancing specificity and adaptability. A good example is our Verde tower in the Mission Rock neighbourhood of San Francisco, where we worked with different architects to ensure variation. We also introduced small-scale interventions in the public spaces, such as seating, fountains and lending libraries, which make the area more engaging. If you design for the human scale – the things that don’t change, such as light, air and movement – you create something flexible and full of character.
Do you see sustainability as designing buildings that serve multiple purposes?
Yes, because good design should always do more than one thing. It’s not about making a purely sculptural form, it’s about form doing work for the project. Take Populus, again. Many buildings today are entirely made of glass but we designed the windows on this tower differently. Inspired by aspen trees, these windows have a depth that directs light, reduces glare and sheds water. They also function as built-in interior seating, making them an integral part of the indoor experience. Sustainability isn’t just about materials or energy use – it’s also about how a building interacts with its surroundings. If a place is designed well, people will want to be there. That’s part of sustainability too.
Your projects always seem to consider the space around them, not just the buildings. Why?
Even when designing a single building, we consider how it connects to the city and shapes movement through a place. That’s why I love working with landscape architects. They think in terms of time – how spaces will grow and change, how people will interact with them over decades. That perspective is valuable in architecture too. Designing for longevity isn’t just about durability, it’s about creating places that people want to return to.
Monisse is Monocle’s design editor and a former landscape architect, a fact that he’ll seek to share with you at any opportunity.
