A. Eugene (Gene) Kohn, FAIA, RIBA, JIA (1930-2023)

A. Eugene (Gene) Kohn, FAIA, RIBA, JIA, Founder of Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, passed away on March 9, 2023 at the age of 92.

Kohn was born in 1930 and raised in Philadelphia. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a student of Louis Kahn and a recipient of the Theophilus Parsons Chandler Architecture Fellowship for advanced study and travel abroad. Between his BA and MA degrees, he served in the US Navy and retired as a Lieutenant Commander.

In 1976, Kohn, along with partners William Pedersen and Sheldon Fox, co-founded Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, shaping the firm into one of the world’s most impactful architectural practices. An Emeritus Board Member of the Council on Tall Buildings and the Urban Habitat, Kohn taught at Harvard Business School for over ten years and at the Harvard Graduate School of Design for four years. He also served as a Trustee for the University of Pennsylvania, was an Overseer for its School of Design, and was a Member of the Wharton Real Estate Center Advisory Board.

A registered architect in 26 states, Kohn served as president of AIA New York in 1988, during which he helped organize the ’88 AIA National Convention at the newly opened Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Kohn was also very involved with the chapter’s capital campaign to raise funds for the creation of the Center for Architecture. In 2002, he was the recipient of the Harry B. Rutkins Award for Service to the Institute. His firm, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, also received AIANY’s Medal of Honor, the chapter’s highest recognition, in 1989.