A. Eugene (Gene) Kohn, co-founder of the internationally renowned architecture office Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, has passed away aged 92, after a year-long fight with cancer. Gene Kohn co-founded Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) in 1976, along with partners William Pedersen and Sheldon Fox, helping to shape it into one of the most impactful architectural practices worldwide. He was recognized for his ability to find creative solutions and to build consensus between designers and developers through his understanding of the relationship between architecture and commerce. He also taught at Harvard, Columbia, and his alma mater University of Pennsylvania.
Gene Kohn served as President and Chairman of KPF for over 40 years, contributing to the practice being recognized with the AIA Architecture Firm Award in 1990. Through KPF, he participated in designing six of the world’s twelve tallest towers, including the Shanghai World Financial Center and Hong Kong’s International Commerce Centre. The office also designed airport terminals in Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Abu Dhabi, along with large-scale projects such as Hudson Yards and One Vanderbilt in New York, and Covent Garden in London. According to his colleagues, Gene Kohn was a firm believer in the principle of teamwork. He helped organize KPF as a collaborative office with mutually supportive co-workers, all dedicated to design excellence.
Eugene Kohn was born in 1930 and raised in Philadelphia, where he obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. There he has a student of Louis Kahn, whose use of geometry and deep understanding of history influence the young architect’s view of architecture. In an interview for Design:ED Podcast, Gene described his experience of studying under Louis Kahn: “My critiques, where he would personally review my work, was at his office in downtown Philadelphia on Walnut street at 1:30 in the morning. […] He inspired you, he excited you, and when he spoke, you were hypnotized…”
In 2019, Eugene Kohn published his memoir, written with Clifford Pearson. The book, titled “The World by Design: The Story of a Global Architecture Firm,” tells a series of fascinating tales about the building of one of the most successful architecture firms and offers lessons on business leadership and design innovation. In 2011 he also presented an exhibition of watercolor paintings in Hong Kong, a testament to his love of arts and creative spirit, which he attributes to his mother, Hannah Kohn, who was another important influence in his career as an architect.
Gene was universally respected in the community for his ability to achieve consensus. 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. - James von Klemperer, KPF President
A few years ago, Gene Kohn was interviewed by ArchDaily in a conversation that addressed many important issues for the architectural profession, such as the ever-changing role of the architect in contemporary society, the importance of innovation, social networking, and the internet, and also to give a word of advice to young architects.
Speaking about the early goals of KPF, Gene one stated that the three co-founders “liked the idea of creating something bigger than the three of us that would live longer than any of us.” His legacy in the world of architecture endures through the achievements of the firm he started and its promise of continuing its work around the world in his honor.
