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Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) is an American
architectural firm In the United States, an architectural firm or architecture firm is a business that employs one or more licensed architects and practices the profession of architecture; while in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark and other countr ...
based in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
that provides architecture, interior, programming and master planning services. They engineer different projects including civic and cultural spaces, commercial office buildings, transportation facilities, residential and hospitality developments, educational and institutional facilities, and mixed-use commercial developments.


History


Beginnings in the United States (1976–1980s)

KPF was founded in 1976 by A. Eugene Kohn, William Pedersen, and Sheldon Fox, all of whom coordinated their departure from John Carl Warnecke & Associates, among the largest architectural firms in the country. Shortly thereafter, the
American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast Television broadcaster, television and radio Radio network, network that serves as the flagship property of the Disney Entertainment division ...
(ABC) chose KPF to redevelop a former armory building on Manhattan's West Side to house TV studios and offices. This led to 14 more projects for ABC over the next 11 years, as well as commissions from major corporations across the country, including AT&T and Hercules Incorporated. By the mid-1980s, KPF had nearly 250 architects working on projects in cities throughout the United States. In 1985, John Burgee (of rival architecture firm John Burgee Architects) called KPF "The best commercial firm now practicing in the U.S." KPF's design for 333 Wacker Drive in Chicago (1983), which was awarded the AIA National Honor Award in 1984, made the firm nationally famous. It remains a Chicago landmark, and was voted "Favorite Building" by the readers of the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' in both 1995 and 1997.The American Institute of Architects. Architecture Firm Award Recipients

Retrieved 2010-01-08.
In 1986, KPF's Procter & Gamble Headquarters in Cincinnati, which included an
open plan Open plan is the generic term used in architectural and interior design for any floor plan that makes use of large, open spaces and minimizes the use of small, enclosed rooms such as private offices. The term can also refer to landscaping of ...
interior design by Patricia Conway, was recognized for its innovative design with the AIA National Honor Award. After its success with these projects, KPF was selected to design the IBM World Headquarters in
Armonk, New York Armonk is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town of North Castle, New York, North Castle, located in Westchester County, New York, United States. The corporate headquar ...
(1997), the Chicago Title and Trust Building in Chicago (1992), and the
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (informally referred to as the Dallas Fed) is one of 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks that, along with the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington, D.C., make up the Federal Reserve System, the centra ...
(1993). In the 1990s, KPF also took on a larger number of government and civic projects, including the Foley Square U.S. Courthouse in New York (1995), the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in Portland, Oregon (1996), the U.S. Courthouse of Minneapolis (1996), the
Buffalo Niagara International Airport Buffalo Niagara International Airport is in Cheektowaga (town), New York, Cheektowaga, New York (state), New York, United States. The airport serves Buffalo, New York and Niagara Falls, New York in the United States, and the southern Golden H ...
(1993) and the multiple award-winning redevelopment of The World Bank Headquarters in Washington, D.C. (1996). KPF's winning entry in the international competition for the World Bank Headquarters, which drew 76 entrants from 26 countries, was the only entry that included the retention of existing structures.


Expansion to Europe (1980s–1990s)

In the 1980s and 1990s, KPF transformed from an American firm known for its corporate designs into an international firm with institutional, government, and transportation commissions in addition to corporate work. KPF completed the design for two blocks of the large-scale
Canary Wharf Canary Wharf is a financial area of London, England, located in the Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The Greater London Authority defines it as part of London's central business district, alongside Central London. Alongside ...
redevelopment (1987) and the Goldman Sachs Headquarters on
Fleet Street Fleet Street is a street in Central London, England. It runs west to east from Temple Bar, London, Temple Bar at the boundary of the City of London, Cities of London and City of Westminster, Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the Lo ...
(1987–1991). KPF has been selected for projects in the Canary Wharf area through to the present day, including the Clifford Chance Tower (2002) to KPMG's European Headquarters (2009). KPF's subsequent work in the United Kingdom includes Thames Court in London (1998), the Rothermere American Institute at Oxford University (2001) and the master plan for the
London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), established in 1895, is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the University of London. The school specialises in the social sciences. Founded ...
(2002). KPF's design for the award-winning Westendstraße 1 in Frankfurt (1992), an early example of mixed-use design, further increased the firm's international prominence and solidified the firm's reputation as a progressive global practice. KPF was chosen for subsequent projects throughout Europe, including Provinciehuis in The Hague (1998), Danube House in River City, Prague (2003), the expansion and renovation of the World Trade Center in Amsterdam (2004) and the Endesa Headquarters in Madrid (2003).


Work in Asia and internationally (1990s–2009)

KPF's introduction to the Asian market began with the Japan Railways Central Towers project in
Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region of Japan. It is the list of cities in Japan, fourth-most populous city in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020, and the principal city of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, which is the List of ...
(1999). Within 10 years, KPF had projects in Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China. Completed KPF projects in Asia include Plaza 66 on Shanghai's Nanjing Xi Lu (2001),
Roppongi Hills is a development project in Tokyo and one of Japan's largest integrated property developments, located in the Roppongi district of Minato, Tokyo. Constructed by building tycoon Minoru Mori, the mega-complex incorporates office space, apartm ...
in Tokyo (2003),
Continental Engineering Corporation Tower The Continental Engineering Corporation Tower, or CEC Tower for short (), is a skyscraper office building in Daan District, Taipei, Taiwan. The height of building is , and it comprises 31 floors above ground as well as six levels below ground. I ...
in
Taipei , nickname = The City of Azaleas , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country ...
(2003), the Rodin Pavilion in Seoul (2003), the Merrill Lynch Japan Head Office in Tokyo (2004), Shr-Hwa International Tower in
Taichung Taichung (, Wade–Giles: '), officially Taichung City, is a special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality in central Taiwan. Taichung is Taiwan's second-largest city, with more than 2.85 million residents, making it the largest city in Ce ...
(2004), and the
Shanghai World Financial Center The Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC; , Shanghainese: ''Zånhae Guejieu Cinyon Tsonsin'') is a supertall skyscraper located in the Pudong district of Shanghai. It was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by the Mori Building Comp ...
(2008), which was named the "Best Tall Building Overall" by the Council on Tall Buildings and the Urban Habitat in 2008. KPF worked with renowned structural engineers, Leslie E. Robertson Associates, to maximize the tower's floor plate and material efficiency by perfecting its tapered form. In addition to this work in Asia, KPF has completed projects in: the Middle East, including the
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) is a sovereign wealth fund owned by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, founded to invest funds on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi. It manages the emirate's excess oil reserves a ...
Headquarters (2007) and the Marina Towers in Beirut (2008); South America including Ventura Corporate Towers in Rio de Janeiro (2008) and Infinity Tower in São Paulo (2012); Australia, including Chifley Tower in Sydney (1992); and has also worked on several projects in Africa.


Expanded national and global presence (2010–present)

Four decades after its founding, KPF has refined particular expertise in the area of office design, supertall structures, and large-scale, urban, mixed use developments. In November 2018, the firm announced the opening of new offices in San Francisco, Berlin, and Singapore to support current projects, new commissions, and imminent endeavors in those regions. The firm's high-profile projects include
One Vanderbilt One Vanderbilt is a 73-story supertall skyscraper at the corner of 42nd Street (Manhattan), 42nd Street and Vanderbilt Avenue in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox for developer SL Green Realty, ...
, a new supertall office tower in Midtown Manhattan located next to Grand Central Terminal and providing direct access to the station; and the master plan for Hudson Yards, the largest private real estate development in U.S. history, which mixes residences with offices, hotels and retail, and street life. KPF also designed buildings 10 Hudson Yards, 20 Hudson Yards,
30 Hudson Yards 30 Hudson Yards (also known during construction as the North Tower) is a supertall skyscraper on the West Side of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Located near Hell's Kitchen, Chelsea, and the Penn Station area, the building is part of ...
, and 55 Hudson Yards, which together offer office, retail, and hospitality space within the development. Also in New York, KPF is leading the redevelopment of New York City Housing Authority's ( NYCHA) Red Hook Houses, which suffered severe flooding and wind damage during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. The largest public housing development in Brooklyn, Red Hook Houses accommodates over 6,000 people across 28 buildings. Outside of the United States, KPF has been contributing to the regeneration and conservation of the Covent Garden Estate in the roles of both master planner and architect for a collection of buildings. Also in London, the firm designed 52 Lime Street, known as The Scalpel.


Recent work

KPF's projects include civic and cultural spaces, commercial office buildings, transportation facilities, residential and hospitality developments, educational and institutional facilities, and mixed-use commercial developments. In Boston, KPF is currently designing two waterfront projects: Channelside, three buildings with housing, office, labs, and retail on the Fort Point Waterfront and The Pinnacle at Central Wharf, a 600-foot residential, office, and retail tower downtown. KPF is also designing the
University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
's Detroit Center for Innovation, 601 West Pender in
Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
, 81 Newgate Street in London, and The Bermondsey Project in
south London South London is the southern part of Greater London, England, south of the River Thames. The region consists of the Districts of England, boroughs, in whole or in part, of London Borough of Bexley, Bexley, London Borough of Bromley, Bromley, Lon ...
, which will create around 1,548 homes on the site. KPF is also planning and designing the new
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is a public research university in Sai Kung District, New Territories, Hong Kong. Founded in 1991, it was the territory's third institution to be granted university status, and the firs ...
"sustainable, smart campus" in
Guangzhou Guangzhou, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Canton or Kwangchow, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Guangdong Provinces of China, province in South China, southern China. Located on the Pearl River about nor ...
.


Recent projects

*
CUNY The City University of New York (CUNY, pronounced , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven ...
Advanced Science Research Centers in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
(2015) * 52 Lime Street in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
(2018)


Gallery

Hudson Yards facing east.jpg, Hudson Yards, New York, NY, USA Roppongi Hills from Tokyo Tower.jpg,
Roppongi Hills is a development project in Tokyo and one of Japan's largest integrated property developments, located in the Roppongi district of Minato, Tokyo. Constructed by building tycoon Minoru Mori, the mega-complex incorporates office space, apartm ...
, Tokyo, Japan Vetrata - panoramio.jpg, 333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL, USA Ross School Exterior.jpg, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Rothermere American Institute.jpg, Rothermere American Institute,
University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...
, Oxford, UK Pudong 21916-Shanghai (32939761931).jpg,
Shanghai World Financial Center The Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC; , Shanghainese: ''Zånhae Guejieu Cinyon Tsonsin'') is a supertall skyscraper located in the Pudong district of Shanghai. It was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by the Mori Building Comp ...
, Shanghai, China SGX Centre Two.JPG,
SGX Centre SGX Centre is a twin tower high-rise complex in the city of Singapore. The development consists of two skyscrapers, located in Shenton Way. The two towers are named SGX Centre One and SGX Centre Two, and are situated together on an elongated, ...
, Singapore Atlantis The Royal, Dubai 1.jpg, Atlantis The Royal, Dubai, United Arab Emirates One and Five Bank Street, Canary Wharf (West Face).jpg, One and Five Bank Street, London, UK


Achievements

KPF has been involved in the design of some of the world's tallest buildings including: Ping-An Financial Centre in Shenzhen, China at 600 m / 1,969 ft.; the
Lotte World Tower Lotte World Tower (), is a 123-story, supertall skyscraper, located in Sincheon-dong, Songpa District, Seoul, South Korea. It is the sixth-tallest building in the world, the tallest in OECD countries and in South Korea, and also the firs ...
in
Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
, South Korea at 555 m / 1,820 ft.; the CTF Finance Center in
Guangzhou Guangzhou, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Canton or Kwangchow, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Guangdong Provinces of China, province in South China, southern China. Located on the Pearl River about nor ...
, China at 530 m / 1,739 ft.; the CITIC Tower in
Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
, China at 528 m / 1,732 ft; and
Shanghai World Financial Center The Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC; , Shanghainese: ''Zånhae Guejieu Cinyon Tsonsin'') is a supertall skyscraper located in the Pudong district of Shanghai. It was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by the Mori Building Comp ...
in
Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...
, China at 492 m / 1,614 ft. KPF takes on a large number of restoration and renovation projects. Examples of this work include The
World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and Grant (money), grants to the governments of Least developed countries, low- and Developing country, middle-income countries for the purposes of economic development ...
Headquarters,
Unilever House Unilever House is a listed building, Grade II listed office building in the Neoclassical architecture, Neoclassical Art Deco style, located on New Bridge Street, Victoria Embankment in Blackfriars, London, Blackfriars, London. The building has ...
, and The Landmark in Hong Kong. KPF has been recognized for workplace collaboration. KPF's intranet "Architectural Forum" has been described in
Architectural Record ''Architectural Record'' is a US-based monthly magazine dedicated to architecture and interior design. Its editor in chief is Josephine Minutillo. ''The Record'', as it is sometimes colloquially referred to, is widely-recognized as an important ...
as an example of "a resource that contributes to a learning environment through mentoring supporting teams and individuals with new ideas, and sharing best practices".


See also

* Kohn Pedersen Fox buildings * List of architecture firms *
List of architects The following is a list of notable architects – well-known individuals with a large body of published work or notable structures, which point to an article in the English Wikipedia. Early architects * Aa ( Middle Kingdom), Egyptian * Amenhot ...


References


External links

*
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates on Architizer
{{Authority control Architecture firms based in New York City Design companies established in 1976 1976 establishments in New York City