Introduction
A. Eugene "Gene" Kohn (born December 12, 1930) is an American architect. He serves as Founder and Chairman of Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, which he founded in July 1976 with William Pedersen and Sheldon Fox.
Early life and education
Kohn was born on December 12, 1930, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (bachelor's and master's). At the university, he was the recipient of the Theophilus P. Chandler Jr. Architecture Fellowship for advanced study and travel abroad. He served in the US Navy on Active Duty for three years (1953 to 1956) between his BA and MA studies, for five years on Reserve Duty, and retired in 1962 with the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
Career
In his early career, Kohn served as a senior designer at Vincent G. Kling Associates in Philadelphia (1960-65); design director of Welton Becket Associates New York (1965-67); and president and partner of John Carl Warnecke and Associates (1967-76). During the 1970s recession and amidst a construction slump, Kohn—then president and partner at John Carl Warnecke and Associates—left the firm with vice presidents William Pedersen and Sheldon Fox to establish Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, in July 1976.
Kohn has and continues to teach courses at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, Massachusetts. He has taught at Harvard for fourteen years and he is Executive Fellow of the school's Executive Education Program.
Kohn's architectural articles have been published widely, and he has contributed to several architectural monographs. He has also co-authored a book on the design of the office building with Paul Katz, Building Type Basics for Office Buildings(John Wiley & Sons, 2002).
Recognition and awards
In 1987, Kohn was honored by the National Education Fund and in 1995 by the Sheltering Arms Children's Service where he served on the board for several years. In 1996, he was honored with the Sidney L. Strauss Award from the New York Society of Architects, as well as in 1997 with the Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Wharton Real Estate Center, University of Pennsylvania.
In 1998, Kohn was recognized with the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and received the 2002 Harry B. Rutkins Award from the AIA New York Chapter.
He has received 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.
In 2019, Kohn received the Kanter Tritsch Medal for Excellence in Architecture and Environmental Design, which honors architects who have changed the course of design history. He is an Executive Fellow of the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University—the first architect to be awarded the title.
Kohn is also a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, a member of the Japan Institute of Architects, and an honorary member of the Fellows of the Philippine Institute. He has chaired and served in a number of design award juries.