About Kevin Kennon
Born 1958. Kevin Kennon is an American architect.
Kevin Kennon (born July 12, 1958 in Palos Verdes, California) is an American architect. Kennon is the Director of the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies and is a founding principal of United Architects, a finalist in the prestigious 2002 World Trade Center Design Competition organized by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation.
Biography Kennon is the son of Paul A. Kennon, an architect who served as dean of the School of Architecture at Rice University. Kennon graduated from Amherst College with a bachelor's degree in literature and pursued architecture studies in The Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies in 1978. In 1988, he joined Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) in New York and became a partner in 1996. Kennon left KPF in 2002 and established his office in New York City, and has served as director of The Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies since 2001.
In 2002 he founded Kevin Kennon Architects, an architecture and design firm based in New York City.
As a founding principal of United Architects, Kevin Kennon was a finalist in the prestigious 2002 World Trade Center Design Competition organized by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. His work has been exhibited widely and is in the Permanent Collection of the Museum of Modern Art. He has received major design awards ranging from the American Institute of Architects, the Architectural League Young Architects Award, and the Progressive Architecture Award. His monograph, “Architecture Tailored” DD Publication #16, was published in 2006. He has taught at Yale University, Princeton University, the Cooper Union, and Columbia University and has lectured at Princeton, Yale, Rice, University of Houston, Amherst College, and the Architectural League of New York.
Kevin Kennon is the Executive Director of the Paul Kennon Memorial Symposium at Rice University, Houston, and Executive Director of the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies. The Institute is a not-for-profit educational organization that provides an introduction to the culture of architecture. He was also a founder and Chairman of the Beaux-Arts Ball for the Architectural League from 1989-91.
Notable projects
100 William Street American Express Building, 157 Hudson Street New York Bloomingdale's Chestnut Hill Bloomingdale's Costa Mesa Bloomingdale's Fashion Island Newport Bloomingdale's Glendale Bloomingdale's Miami Bloomingdale's Orlando Bloomingdale's Palo Alto Bloomingdale's San Francisco at Westfield San Francisco Centre Bloomingdale's Santa Monica at Santa Monica Place Columbus Indiana Learning Center (Kohn Pedersen Fox, Kevin Kennon Design Principal) Glendale Galleria Incubator Arts Project Lehman Brothers Headquarters (Kohn Pedersen Fox, Kevin Kennon Design Principal) Macy's Herald Square Pier 17 Rodin Gallery Samsung Headquarters (Kohn Pedersen Fox, Kevin Kennon Design Principal) Sanya Resort Sotheby’s Headquarters (Kohn Pedersen Fox, Kevin Kennon Design Principal) Tian Fang Tower, Tianjin, China World Trade Center Competition World Trade Center Site Viewing Platform
Competitions World Trade Center Competition, 2003 – ‘‘Finalist’’ Robbins School Elementary School Competition, 2005 – ‘‘Finalist’’ City Lights Competition NYC, 2005 – ‘‘Finalist’’ The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Competition, 2000 – ‘‘2nd Place’’ The Film House, The Architect’s Dream House Competition, 1995 – ‘‘1st Place’’ The Foundations House, The Architect’s Dream House Competition, 1995 – ‘‘2nd Place’’
Exhibitions ‘‘‘‘‘WTC/UA entry’’’’’, MoMA Permanent Collection ‘‘‘‘‘UA Exhibition’’’’’, Grimaldi Forum, Monaco, 2006 ‘‘‘‘‘Tall Buildings’’’’’ Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2004 ‘‘‘‘‘Beyond the Box’’’’’ The Municipal Society of New York, 1995 ‘‘‘‘‘Architects Dream’’’’’ Center for Contemporary Architecture, Cincinnati, OH, 1995 ‘‘‘‘‘On Hold’’’’’ Young Architects Annual Competition Exhibition, Architectural League of New York, 1992 ‘‘‘‘‘New Schools for New York’’’’’ Architectural League of New York, 1992 ‘‘‘‘‘Vacant Lots’’’’’ Architectural League of New York, 1990
Awards , ICSC Best of the Best VIVA Award – Bloomingdale's Santa Monica, 2013 ICSC US Design Development Award – Bloomingdale's Santa Monica, 2012 ICSC International Design & Development Award, 2008 New York Chapter AIA Project Design Honor Award – The Incubator, 2006 Robbins School Elementary Competition Finalist, 2005 NYC City Lights Competition Finalist, 2005 MoMA Permanent Collection – WTC/UA entry, 2003 New York City Chapter AIA Design Award – The Rodin Museum, 2001 New York City Chapter AIA Project Design Award – The Columbus Indiana Learning Center, 2001 Jersey City Good Neighbor Award – Harborside Plaza Building 4A, 2001 Construction News Award – 745 Seventh Avenue, 2001 I.D. Magazine Award, Best of Category – Rodin Museum, 2000 Saflex Safe and Sound Award – Rodin Museum, 1999 New York State AIA Design Award – Rodin Museum, 1999 American Architecture Award – Rodin Museum, 1999 New York Chapter AIA Project Design Award – Rodin Museum, 1998 New York State AIA Award – Bloomingdale’s Aventura, 1998 Progressive Architecture Award – Rodin Museum, 1997 New York City Chapter AIA Project Design Honor Award – The Film House, 1996 New York City Chapter AIA Project Design Award – The Foundations House, 1996 The Architect's Dream House Competition 1st Place – The Film House, 1995 Young Architects Award from the Architectural League of New York, 1993
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Important facts
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Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who is Kevin Kennon?
American architect
When was Kevin Kennon born?
Kevin Kennon was born on 12 July 1958 in Palos Verdes Peninsula.
What is Kevin Kennon's occupation?
Kevin Kennon is an architect.
What nationality is Kevin Kennon?
Kevin Kennon is American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Kevin Kennon. https://biography.guide/kevin-kennon/
MLA: "Kevin Kennon." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/kevin-kennon/.
Chicago: "Kevin Kennon." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/kevin-kennon/.
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