HiP > 2026 > People > HiP Commercial Development Leader

Photo: Courtesy of Gensler

Batya Keshet, design director at Gensler, is known for creating spaces that are conceptually rigorous, emotionally resonant, and deeply connected to the people and communities they serve. Her 25-year career is built on a commitment to design excellence, craft, and collaboration. Dedicated to understanding her clients at a fundamental level, Keshet translates insights into a clear design narrative, helping them embrace bold ideas, build trust, and realize their full creative potential. She is especially passionate about revitalizing underutilized spaces, considering how people move through space, how buildings meet the street, and how design can activate the urban fabric to bring vibrancy back to cities. This ethos is evident in Keshet’s projects at San Francisco’s iconic Embarcadero Center, where she plays a pivotal role in the firm’s longstanding relationship with owner BXP. Her designs for each of the complex’s four lobbies and its tenant amenity space, Mosaic, honor history while bringing the Center into the future. Additionally, she’s a trusted adviser to high-profile developers and building owners, such as Kilroy and Hudson Pacific, on repositioning their properties. Since joining Gensler in 2004, Keshet has led teams on high-profile workplace projects for clients like JPMC, Wells Fargo, and Capital Group, delivering hospitality-forward environments that elevate the everyday experience. As a sustainability leader for Gensler’s Northwest region, Keshet views resilient design as foundational to her approach. She believes that sustainability is achieved through longevity: spaces that endure, materials that age with integrity, and concepts that enrich their context for long-term relevancy. Her work has been recognized by Interior Design, Architect’s Newspaper, Architectural Record, Architizer, and AIA California. A graduate of College of Management in Tel Aviv, she is NCIDQ and LEED AP BD+C certified.