Biography
Rives directs Gensler’s global Design Resilience teams and initiatives and serves as the global Resilience lead for the Gensler Research Institute
A recognized global expert in resilient, high-performance, and sustainable design, he has been a faculty member at Rice University and the University of Houston for more than 30 years. He developed Gensler’s sustainability framework and has shaped building standards for global clients, including BP and Toyota. He has authored more than 150 articles for publications including ULI’s Urban Land, WIRED, Fast Company, and Texas Architect, and has spoken at symposiums on five continents, including leading the Gensler contingent to the COP 21 Climate Accord in Paris. Rives founded the Houston Chapter of the USGBC and received the Center for Houston’s Future’s Impact Award. A Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA), he holds a B.A. in Architecture from Rice University and a Master’s from MIT.
Design has the power to shape a more sustainable, resilient, and regenerative future by recognizing the interconnected nature of the systems, environments, and communities we influence.
Rives' Posts
Qualifications and Recognition
Master of Science in Architectural Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Architecture, Rice University
Registered Architect: Texas
NCARB LEED Fellow LEED AP BD+C
Fellow, American Institute of Architects (AIA)
Member, Urban Land Institute (ULI)
Member, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
ULI Health Leaders Network Cohort 9, 2026
Center Of Houston’s Future: Innovators Who Stand Apart Top 75, 2025
Finalist, Center for Houston’s Future Impact Award, 2014
ULI Apgar Award, 2013
Houston Citizens’ Environmental Coalition President’s Award, 2003
Board Member, Heritage Society
Board Member, Building Healthy Places Chair, ULI Houston