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Bill Pedersen, Marianne Kwok, and Lauren Schmidt Speak on Hudson Yards Panel at AIA Convention

As part of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) annual conference in New York City, the Related Companies hosted a day at Hudson Yards for conference attendees. A morning and afternoon session each began with a panel at KPF’s 10 Hudson Yards followed by a walking tour of the site.

Bringing together key designers from various aspects of the Hudson Yards development, each panel fostered lively and informative conversation amongst the participants. The morning panel, moderated by architectural critic and author, Joseph Giovannini, included Bill Pedersen, who represented KPF and spoke to the firm’s landmark towers, 10 and 30 Hudson Yards, as well as its work on the site’s masterplan designed in partnership with the Related Companies and the NYC Planning Commission. Other participants included Ken Lewis of SOM, Liz Diller of DS+R, David Rockwell of Rockwell Group, Thomas Heatherwick of Heatherwick Studios, Thomas Woltz of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, and David Manfredi of Elkus Manfredi. Speaking to the role of tall building at the development, Bill said, “They have a responsibility not to stand off in the corner by themselves, but they have a responsibility to gesture and talk with each other.”

The afternoon panel also featured key designers from the firms at work on Hudson Yards. Marianne Kwok and Lauren Schmidt represented 10 and 30 Hudson Yards and 55 Hudson Yards, respectively.

Moderated by Related’s Mark Boekenheide, the panel gathered Frank Mahan of SOM, Robert Katchur of DS+R, Evan Tribus of Rockwell Group, Stuart Wood of Heatherwick Studios, John Ridenour of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, and Andrew West of Elkus Manfredi. Marianne spoke to the initial stages of 10 and 30 Hudson Yards, and in particular, her work with Coach, the anchor tenant for 10 Hudson Yards, and their collaboration to create a communal, vertical campus within the tower. Lauren then spoke to her experience on 55 Hudson Yards and its distinct yet complementary role within the masterplan, as well as the design’s ability to accommodate both large and boutique clients.

Hudson Yards is the largest private real estate development in the history of the United States and the largest development in New York City since Rockefeller Center. KPF’s work at Hudson Yards includes the masterplan, over rail podium, three towers—10, 30, and 55 Hudson Yards—and 20 Hudson Yards, a retail podium designed in partnership with Elkus Manfredi. With a team of nearly 100 KPFers working on the site since the project’s inception over ten years ago, the firm is deeply proud to be involved in the transformation of New York City’s Far West Side.