Skyscrapers’ architect Eugene Kohn, Co-Founder of Kohn Pedersen Fox, Passes Away at 92

American architect Eugene (Gene) Kohn, co-founder of KPF - Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, passed away at 92.

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. 

KPF co-founders Sheldon (Shelley) Fox, Bill Pedersen, and Gene Kohn. ©Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF)

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.

 Gene Kohn working the phones. ©Kohn Pedersen Fox (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.”
Atrium of The World Bank Headquarters, Washington, DC. ©Michael Dersin / Courtesy KPF


333 Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL. ©Barbara Karant / Courtesy 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 10 + 30 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.


Hudson Yards, New York, NY. ©Connie Zhou / Courtesy 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.

“Gene was known throughout the architectural world for his ability to promote the services of KPF,” said William Pedersen, KPF Co-Founder and Design Principal. “As valuable as that has been to the growth of our firm, his value within the firm, counseling our staff, has been even greater.”

Throughout his year-long fight with cancer, Gene never lost hope. Gene maintained his positive outlook and remained focused on the next challenge, a testament to his perspective on life. Gene is survived by his wife Barbara, his sons Steven and Brian, and his daughter Laurie, and nine grandchildren.

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.” 

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Cover photo: A. Eugene (Gene) Kohn, FAIA RIBA JIA, 1930 – 2023. ©Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF)

Press release and photos courtesy of Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF)