Gene Kohn shaped the firm he co-founded into one of the most impactful architectural practices in the world through a strong belief that relationships are the foundation of success.
Gene co-founded Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates in 1976, along with partners William Pedersen and Sheldon Fox, and shaped it into one of the world’s most impactful architectural practices. With characteristic optimism, diplomacy, and unfailing good will, he brought together designers and engineers, clients and civic leaders to achieve significant projects that have changed our cities around the world for the better. His skill in understanding the relationship between architecture and commerce allowed him to find creative solutions, building consensus between designers and developers. Well known as a consummate communicator, Gene taught at Harvard and Columbia, and contributed his energies for over seven decades to his alma mater University of Pennsylvania.
Roppongi Hills. Credit Mori Building Courtesy of KPF
“Gene was universally respected in the community for his ability to achieve consensus,” said James von Klemperer, KPF President. “His seemingly limitless interest in other human beings gave him powerful insights into the social aspect of building programs and larger urban agendas. Without his easy charm and focused intensity, such notable projects as Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, the World Bank in Washington DC, One Vanderbilt in New York, and the reinvigoration of Covent Garden in London would not have realized their full success.”
The World Bank HQ. Photo Credit Tim Hursley Courtesy of KPF
Gene was most proud of his family, and of the firm that he built. He was an active participant in his professional pursuits until the end. He believed passionately in the principle of teamwork, and encouraged all who worked with him to realize their dreams. He organized KPF as a collaborative collection of mutually supportive colleagues, all dedicated to excellence in design. Gene’s spirit will live on in the firm that he loved, and his commitment to design excellence, teamwork, and mentorship will continue to inform KPF’s values.
Hudson Yards. Credit Connie Zhou Courtesy of KPF
Shanghai World Financial Center. Image Credit Tim Griffith Courtesy of KPF
As KPF’s original President and Chairman, Gene shepherded the practice through many economic and cultural cycles over 40 years, leading its expansion into varied geographies and sectors. Under Gene’s leadership, KPF was the youngest practice to be recognized with the AIA Architecture Firm Award (1990) and designed such notable projects as 333 Wacker Drive in Chicago; the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas; the Petersen Automotive Museum (Los Angeles); headquarters for Procter & Gamble (Cincinnati), the World Bank (Washington, DC), IBM (Armonk), Unilever (London), and DZ Bank (Frankfurt); six of the world’s twelve tallest towers, including the Shanghai World Financial Center and Hong Kong’s International Commerce Centre; airport terminals in Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Abu Dhabi; city-shaping projects including Hudson Yards and One Vanderbilt (New York), Covent Garden (London), and Roppongi Hills (Tokyo); and academic buildings on such campuses as the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Michigan, and the University of Oxford.
A registered architect in 26 states, Gene was a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and served as president of the AIA New York City Chapter in 1988, during which he helped organize the ’88 AIA National Convention at the newly opened Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Kohn was also very involved with the chapter’s capital campaign to raise funds for the creation of the Center for Architecture. In 2002, he was the recipient of AIA NY's Harry B. Rutkins Award for Service to the Institute.
He was also a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Japan Institute of Architects, and an honorary member of the Fellows of the Philippine Institute.
Over his long and successful career, Gene received numerous commendations and awards including The National Building Museum Chairman’s Award; The Skyscraper Museum Award; The Soane Foundation Honors; and the Alumni Award of Merit by the University of Pennsylvania, the highest university-wide award presented to alumni. He was also recognized with the Wharton Real Estate Center’s Lifetime Achievement Award; the University of Pennsylvania – PennDesign Dean’s Medal of Achievement, the highest honor awarded by the institution; and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. In 2019, Gene received the Kanter Tritsch Medal for Excellence in Architecture and Environmental Design, which honors architects who have changed the course of design history. He was an Executive Fellow of the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, the first architect to be awarded the title.
In 2019, Gene published his memoir, The World by Design: The Story of a Global Architecture Firm, written with Clifford Pearson. The book explains how Gene helped build one of the most successful architecture firms in the world, offering inspiring lessons on business leadership and design innovation that can be applied to many fields. KPF have had projects in over 40 countries.
Gene’s legacy in the world of architecture will be enduring. Speaking about the early goals for KPF, he once stated the he, Bill, and Shelley “liked the idea of creating something bigger than the three of us that would live longer than any of us.” Though he’s gone, his vision holds true. The firm he started is more successful than he ever imagined, with the promise of continuing its great work around the world in his honor.
He is remembered in The New York Times by Paul Goldberger and Architectural Record by Clifford Pearson.
Alex Miller, AIA
Adjunct Director, AIA International
