Arthur and Drue Gensler Donate $5 Million to Buck Institute

M. Arthur Gensler Jr. and his wife, Drucilla Cortell Gensler, have donated $5 million to the Buck Institute. The gift will be honored by naming the Institute’s administrative facility the “Arthur and Drue Gensler Building."

Drue Gensler is President of the Gensler Family Foundation and was an early supporter of the Institute, serving on the first Advisory Committee. Arthur Gensler has served a total of 11 years as a Buck Trustee, joining in 2000 just as the Institute’s first two research buildings were coming on line. As Chair of the Construction Committee, his experience and expertise has helped shape both the operations and the esthetics of the Institute. He played a crucial role in the development of the open laboratory plans which have been incorporated into the Institute’s scientific expansion. He was actively involved in the planning and construction of the Institute’s new Regenerative Medicine Research Center which opened last April. He also helped champion the new geothermal heat exchange program, which allows the Institute to cut $436,000 per year from its energy bills. In addition to his service as Chair of the Construction Committee, Gensler has also served on the Board’s Executive and Marketing Committees. “It’s an honor to support scientists who care so much about improving the health of people everywhere, and it’s a thrill to witness the progress that has been made since the Institute opened its doors just 13 years ago,” said Gensler. “I hope this donation will encourage others to appreciate how much the Buck enhances both our local and global communities and to share my enthusiasm for its mission to extend healthspan, the healthy years of life.”

“Art Gensler’s hands-on commitment to the Institute can be seen throughout our buildings and in our labs,” said Brian Kennedy PhD, Buck Institute CEO and President. “His support, coupled with his towering presence in the world of architecture and construction, has been instrumental in opening doors to those who have helped the Institute grow and thrive,” he said. “It has been our good fortune to have Art in our corner and we are truly grateful to him and Drue for this gift,” Kennedy said. “The Buck Institute has a special relationship with Art that I am sure will continue for years to come."

Since Arthur and Drue established the firm in 1965, Gensler has become the largest international architectural design firms with 42 locations across the U.S., Europe, Asia-Pacific and Africa. With more than 3,500 employees, the company has been involved in projects including Incheon International Airport in Seoul, Korea, Shanghai Towers (the second tallest building in the world) and a major project including Terminal 2 at the San Francisco International Airport. The firm has also been Interior Architects for many corporations including Intel, Facebook and Salesforce.