Design for Government

Part of the Gensler Monograph series, Design for Government surveys the state of the art of public-sector buildings and settings. Introduced by Vernon Mays, editor at large at Architect, the book focuses on the leading role that governments take today in setting new and higher standards for design quality in support of goals and mandates for improved productivity, more effective use of non-renewable resources, and the health and welfare of employees. The book includes 15 case studies that address a representative array of building and facility types. Each documents client intent, design response, key features, and actual or expected performance. The projects covered range in scale from a community’s 14,000-square-foot city hall to the largest single workplace of the US federal government. They include specialized facilities like courthouses and courtrooms, as well as airports and convention centers—important public-sector activities in the US and other countries.

Gensler is an award-winning global design firm and a leading specialist in the education sector. Its innovative and sustainable work with K?12 schools, colleges, and universities reflects an interdisciplinary, research-based design approach and a commitment to collaboration.

Vernon Mays is an editor-at-large at Architect magazine and a Senior Editor at Gensler. He was the curator of architecture and design at the Virginia Center for Architecture and the founding editor of Inform, an award-winning design journal for the Mid-Atlantic region. He was also a Senior Editor at Progressive Architecture magazine and architecture critic for The Hartford Courant. Mays has a Master of Architecture degree from Virginia Tech and a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.