Across Asia, city centers face a growing paradox: office buildings sit half-empty while demand for housing continues to rise. How can we breathe new life into these underused spaces and create vibrant, livable communities? In this episode of the Gensler Design Podcast, host David Calkins speaks with Tan E Hun, Executive Director at REFSA, and Yvette Koh, Gensler’s Repositioning and Building Transformation Lead, to explore the shift from single-use office districts to mixed-use neighborhoods. Together, they discuss the opportunities, challenges, and design strategies behind converting offices into homes, and how existing buildings can be reimagined to support sustainable, human-centered urban futures.
