On February 11, the KPF Principal and Senior Associate Principal returned to University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP) to deliver a thought-provoking talk as part of the School of Architecture and Interior Design (SAID) Lecture Series.
In their presentation, Trent and Anna challenged students to think beyond architecture as “content,” urging them to move past image and aesthetics toward accountability, consequence, and impact. Rather than simply decorating a site, they emphasized the importance of interrogating it—asking not just whether architecture is beautiful, but whether it works, who it serves, and how it’s made. The lecture reflected KPF’s commitment to creating spaces that foster meaningful connections between people and places, past and future, and nature and the built environment.
Both Trent and Anna are graduates of the University of Cincinnati and bring their shared educational foundation to bear in their leadership roles at KPF. Anna has developed expertise in designing prominent office and residential projects including One Pengrui in Guangzhou, SOHO Gubei, and Qiantan Center, with her fine arts background enhancing her holistic approach to the interaction between interior and exterior spaces. Trent’s work spans a diverse mix of scale and program, from the sinuous form of the Residences at Mandarin Oriental in Miami to the elevated passenger experience at Singapore’s Changi Terminal 5.
