Kohn Pederson Fox | Tag

"Luxury Without Context Is Just Excess": Elisa Orlanski Ours on Bridging Design Vision with Market Realities

Subscriber Access | July 17, 2025

In the complex ecosystem of architectural development, where innovative concepts meet market realities, a distinct role exists to bridge diverse professional interests and realize impactful spaces. Elisa Orlanski Ours exemplifies this function. This is the domain of Elisa Orlanski Ours, a designer, educator, and industry leader. As Chief Planning & Design Officer at Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group, Elisa founded her department two decades ago. Now, her extensive portfolio spans condominium skyscraper master plans and individual branded villas across continents, including significant New York City developments like Hudson Yards and 220 Central Park South, as well as international developments in collaboration with prominent architectural firms like SHoP Architects, BIG, Herzog & de Meuron, Adjaye Associates, and SO-IL. Her strategic perspective on bringing projects from schematic phase to final sale provides valuable insights into the industry's intricate workings. ArchDaily's Managing Editor, Maria-Cristina Florian, had the opportunity to discuss these critical topics with Elisa in the following interview.

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Gensler Announces Plans to Transform Times Square Office Tower into Housing in New York City

May 27, 2025

The Empire State Development (ESD) Board of Directors has approved a major office-to-residential conversion project at 5 Times Square, New York City, as announced by the New York state government. Originally built in 2002 as the headquarters for Ernst & Young, with Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) as the design architect, the building has been largely vacant since the corporation vacated the premises in 2022, with vacancy rates remaining around 75 percent. Gensler's proposal aims to repurpose this underutilized office space into a mixed-use complex, introducing up to 1,250 new homes, including 313 permanently affordable units.

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Architecture Now: From Revitalized Museums to STEM Educational Facilities, Discover the Recent Work of KPF, Zaha Hadid Architects, and Other Leading Offices

October 31, 2024

In recent weeks, a series of significant architectural developments have been announced, showcasing the varied work of renowned firms from around the globe. These projects, revealed between late September and October 2024, emphasize the transformative potential of architectural design in rehabilitating historical structures, revitalizing urban areas, and proposing new facilities to meet the evolving needs of communities. Notable names such as Zaha Hadid Architects, Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), and Studio Egret West are among those leading ambitious projects, from the waterfront residences on Qetaifan Island in Qatar to the reimagining of London's Earls Court. This collection of recent announcements provides a glimpse into the ongoing evolution of urban landscapes and community-centric architecture.

$Studio Egret West and Hawkins\Brown Unveil Masterplan for Earls Court Transformation in Central London. Image © The Earls court Development Company$ + 32

KPF Set to Transform Foster + Partners Designed HSBC Tower in London’s Canary Wharf

July 26, 2024

Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) has announced an expansive project to redevelop and refurbish the Foster + Partners designed 8 Canada Square building, also known as HSBC Tower, in Canary Wharf, London. Following an international competition, the remodeling plans include removing large parts of the 42-story building to introduce terraces and additional functions. According to Canary Wharf Group and the Qatar Investment Authority, this represents the largest transformation of an office tower into a sustainable mixed-use building. The project is set to begin in 2027, after the expiry of the HSBC lease.

Eugene Kohn, Co-Founder of Kohn Pedersen Fox, Passes Away at the Age of 92

March 10, 2023

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.

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Kohn Pedersen Fox Designs Texas' Tallest Building

September 13, 2022

The 311-meter-high Mixed-Use Tower in Downtown Austin designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), will become Texas' tallest when it opens in late 2026. Called Waterline, this skyscraper is intended to define the skyline of one of the U.S.A.'s most dynamic and growing cities. Targeting LEED Gold certification, the 74-story project will include apartments, offices, hotel rooms, and a ground-floor paseo. The development will also add two new pedestrian bridges and three additional public pedestrian and bike access points.

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A Man, a Suit, and a Window: The Strange World of the Luxury Skyscraper Promotional Video

Subscriber Access | June 21, 2018

A new genre of film is emerging: the luxury skyscraper promotional video. Usually released before a new building is even finished, these filmic renderings follow an uncannily standard format: A stirring soundtrack reliably accompanies a time lapse of a city’s skyline; viewers ascend a rendered building until we reach the top floor. There, we see some variation of the most common scene found in these videos: a businessman silently overlooking the expansive city below. The figure tends to be pensive, well-dressed, white, and male. Read on to see three prime examples of this odd trend.

Update: NYU 2031: NYU in NYC

Subscriber Access | June 06, 2011

Last May, we shared NYU’s expansion plan, NYU 2031: NYU in NYC – a 20 year developmental framework to help the campus provide adequate facilities for its growing student body. Yet, as we reported, the conceptual plan was met with much resistance as residents of the Village claim that the plans will diminish the character of the area. Only time will tell whether NYU will successfully expand into the Village, however, in the meantime, as The Journal reported, NYU is putting more attention on its expansion to Brooklyn and Manhattan’s East Side. The university has just leased 120,000 sqf in Brooklyn (a move that has increased the existing Polytechnic Institute of NYU by 20%); plus, NYU has chosen Kohn Pederson Fox to design a 170,000-square-foot campus between 24th Street and 34th Street which will be home to a new bio-engineering program and provide more space for the dental school, as well as the relocation of the nursing school from Washington Square. NYU’s vision for a presence on Governors Island is still in the works as the university is looking to develop one million square feet for academic and residential use. We will keep you updated as we hear more about the plan.

Kohn Pederson FOX: The Latest Architecture and News