Скачать или смотреть KPF50: Bill Pedersen on Founding KPF

KPF co-founder William “Bill” Pedersen reflects on the firm’s founding and enduring legacy over the past 50 years. Beginning in 1976, during a period marked by recession, Bill recounts how KPF’s first commission—the adaptive reuse of an armory on Manhattan’s Upper West Side into studios for ABC—laid the groundwork for the firm’s future creating complex, city-shaping buildings.

Bill highlights the unique contributions of each of the three co-founders: A. Eugene “Gene” Kohn’s inspirational leadership and marketing acumen, Sheldon “Shelly” Fox’s steady management and guidance, and Bill’s own passion for design and mentorship. Together, they shaped KPF’s approach to architecture, first with a focus on commercial office buildings as the essential building blocks of the modern city.

As the firm expanded globally—from London to Asia and the Middle East—and its portfolio diversified, KPF’s success was driven by three core strengths: understanding a project’s context and external pressures, a dedication to craft and quality, and a commitment to building performance. These founding principles continue to guide the firm’s work today.

Today, with projects and offices worldwide, KPF’s mission remains, above all, defined by a shared vision for positively shaping the built environment.