Top Architectural Practices: Kohn Pedersen Fox

I am starting a small series of posts on architectural practices that are responsible for the wonderful design of the built environment around us in London and New York with the same format as all my other blog posts , simple, informative and bitesize, starting with New York based architects Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF).

There are not many large scale projects around the world that have not had KPF at least run for the design commission, needless to say the New York headquartered firm are one the best known architects within the arena of large office projects and renovation. The firm was started in July 1976 and is a great example of a business which has grown from the seed of doing the first project well and receiving commissions of the back of that first 'good job done well'. Shortly after A Eugene Kohn, William Pedersen and Sheldon Fox founded the company, the American Broadcasting Corporation chose the partners to redevelop and old armoury building in Manhattan to house offices and a TV studio which led to 11 further commissions in the years following. The expansion to a global service offering was inevitable when New York based investment bank Goldman Sachs had a requirement for it's European headquarters in London which coincided with the time that London's Canary Wharf started to commission large scale office projects.

Nowadays, KPF's portfolio of properties spans the globe in more than 35 countries and London and New York form a very small part of the arena in which the firm operates. Perhaps the best known project in New York is the Museum of Modern Art and in London there are two projects which stand out that are currently under construction - the Bishopsgate Tower which is just appearing at street level and Heron Tower which is closer to completion.

London's Heron Tower courted controversy in 2009 when five project architects broke away from KPF to form their own outfit, PLP Architecture after the refusal of KPF to allow a buyout of their London operation. Despite clauses in contracts which would not normally allow employees of KPF to communicate with clients after their departure from the company, KPF and the new firm have hammered out a formal relationship. KPF are now faced with a seasoned competitor in London which has grown to more than 65 employees and has already been successful in bagging the second phase of Herons Development, Heron Plaza.

20 Fenchurch Street, City of London

Statistics

• Estimated completion 2014
• Height 525ft (160m)
• 36 floors
• 94,000 sqm
• Architect Rafael Vinoly

On 19th October 2010 Land Securities and Canary Wharf Group announced the formation of a partnership to develop 20 Fenchurch Street which had been one of several larger city projects to be shelved due to the economic downturn. The site had already been cleared for construction before the project was halted and subsequently sold to the Partnership for £90.2m

Following the formation of the partnership construction was announced to begin immediately on the substructure to bring the building up to ground floor level by February 2012 and although there is little activity on site at the moment, Land Securities reaffirmed today that progress is on track as per their last press release.

The overall design of the building by New York City based architects Rafael Vinoly has courted controversy with it's top heavy shape which features a sky garden overlooking the River Thames on the top three floors although the publicly accessible observation deck will provide arguably the best views of Canary Wharf, the Shard, the West End and The City from a single 360 degree platform.

On the skyline, 20 Fenchurch Street has been criticised as being somewhat bizarre looking, however the important chords for the design of this building were more about contributing sensitively to the built environment at street level. According to the architect, the building form is drawn back from it's maximum possible footprint to mirror the city street pattern while simultaneously establishing a visual connection to the emerging cluster of high rises, receding from nearby historic buildings and opening views through the site to contribute meaningfully to the immediate public realm.

Architectural models - Freedom Tower

This short video by Fox News illustrates the role that model makers play in the planning and public relations for new projects, specifically here, the Freedom Tower in New York City.

Transforming Tate Modern

The huge success of the Tate Modern Gallery on London's Thames river bank triggered the development of an extension to the museum which is considered one of the finest contemporary art museums in the world. Architects Herzog & De Meuron this week said that the museum could still be completed by the time The Olympics kick off in London, which will test it's popularity to more people than ever. This video which features Nicholas Serota, Director of Tate and Jacques Herzog, Architect, talking about the transformation of the building, also shows the building as it would look in it's surroundings and includes a visualization of the Shard.

Bank of America Tower, New York City, Environmental Technology

Statistics

• Constructed 2004-2009
• Height to spire - 366m (1,200ft)
• 58 floors
• Floor Area - 2,100,000 sqft (195,000 sqm)
• 51 elevators
• Cook & Fox Architects, Adamson Associates Architects

What makes the Bank of America Tower at Bryant Park special in today's Kyoto conscious world, it's unique selling point if you will, is the fact that it is effectively a giant air filter. The air entering the building is purified and the air exhausted is even cleaner. That is on top of a host of other environmentally friendly features. The concrete used in the construction of the building is 55% cement and 45% slag, a by-product of blast furnaces. Temperature control in the tower is also environmentally friendly. Floor to ceiling insulating glass maximises natural light as well as containing heat and the tower also reuses rainwater. The building also incorporates an old technology, ice phase transition, which produces and stores ice to help cool the building in peak

periods. There is also a 4.6 mega watt onsite cogeneration plantwhich reduces the significant electrical transmission losses that are typical of central power production plants. The tower also features an underfloor air system which provides the occupants with the ability to control the temperature in their own space via multiple air column units which also improves air ventilation effectiveness. All of these features are evidence that New York is still at the forefront of world skyscraper technology with one of the most environmentally friendly towers in the world.