KPF is a single unified architectural practice focused on the design of buildings of all types and scales, and in all geographic regions. Our projects include the world’s tallest towers, longest spans, most varied programs, and inventive forms. What binds our diverse portfolio together – and what motivates our efforts – is the goal of finding the smartest solution for each project we undertake. We believe that the best design is the product of an open-minded search that is not burdened by preconceptions or stylistic formulae.
PURPOSE
Our buildings make contributions to the built environment that go beyond their physical footprint. The aspirations that shape our buildings include optimizing programmatic functions, strengthening the urban context, promoting sustainable environments, advancing the commercial success of development strategies, and creating beautiful buildings that display the aspirations of the societies they serve. The major challenge of our practice is to work closely with our clients to balance these forces in a way that capitalizes on the synergies of multidisciplinary thinking.
COLLABORATION
In order to support these aims, the firm is organized as a collaborative group of diverse talents. Our best designs occur when individuals come together, challenging each other to invent new techniques and search for new expressions. Each project is expected to advance the larger practice, while answering to a very particular set of individual parameters. In our studios, the passionate young architects work alongside the most experienced hands, blending wisdom with fresh inspiration.
ONE FIRM
The firm consists of 700 staff led by 25 principals, with offices in New York, London, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Seoul, and Abu Dhabi. New York serves as the center of our design culture, and all of the Principals convene regularly to ensure the cohesiveness of philosophy and share knowledge about their work. Each Principal is encouraged to understand and participate in the global breadth of the practice. Exchange of staff between offices is a regular practice, and a single project will often avail itself of expertise residing in multiple offices – working together as a single team – in order to derive maximum benefit from the firm's broad bank of knowledge.
PROCESS
Working closely with clients and listening effectively to their needs and goals is an important part of our method. The client is often defined as more than a single entity, including owners, users, and public officials. In order to engage these groups as collaborators, our design process emphasizes a comparative method, where alternative solutions are compared and evaluated. The process of design follows an open source model, allowing for broad discussion and participation.
