KPF marked its 50th anniversary in Shanghai with an event at the KPF-designed Signature Tower of CPIC Xintiandi Commercial Center.
KPF Principals James von Klemperer and Forth Bagley; Professor Wu Jiang, President of the Architects Regional Council Asia; and Mr. Albert Chan, Director of Development & Planning Department / Group Chief Sustainability Officer of Sustainable Development at Shui On Land, took the stage to deliver remarks.
James reflected on KPF’s practice in China and Shanghai, thanking the owners, government departments, and consultants who made it possible. Professor Wu Jiang traced the city’s development history and pointed to architecture’s role in improving the urban environment ahead. Mr. Chen Jianbang spoke to KPF’s decades-long partnership with Shui On Land, citing a shared commitment to buildings that fit their urban context. Forth closed by reaffirming the firm’s commitment to the region. KPF Principals Josh Chaiken, Florence Chan, Terri Cho, Brian Girard, and Robert Whitlock, and Directors Myriam Hamdi, Manman Huang, Grace Liao, and Yi Xiong joined for a celebratory toast.
Few cities have more completed KPF projects than Shanghai. From Plaza 66, the firm’s first project in Asia completed over thirty years ago, to the currently under-construction North Bund Lot 91, slated to be the tallest tower on the west bank of the Huangpu River KPF’s portfolio spans nearly every sector. KPF has not only defined Shanghai’s skyline, but more importantly, shaped the places where tens of millions of people live their daily lives.
