KSS Architects co-founder Allan Kehrt, FAIA, LEED AP, PP will step down from his role as senior design partner to an emeritus position at the beginning of 2012 - a move that has been ongoing for more than 10 years as part of the firm's ownership transition plan.
Since establishing KSS Architects in 1983 with colleagues Michael Shatken and Rafael Sharon, Kehrt has helped the firm grow from a staff of three focused on residential design, into a 40-person company with offices in Princeton and Philadelphia. With the leadership of its six partners - Kehrt, Shatken, Edmund Klimek, Pamela Lucas Rew, David Zaiser, and Merilee Meacock - KSS has risen above recent economic challenges and developed an award-winning portfolio of projects across the nation in the markets of higher education, K-12 education, industrial, commercial, corporate interiors, municipal design and sustainable design.
"The past year was one of the strongest we have had in the market," Shatken said. "Allan shaped our core values about design excellence as well as client relationships, which all of the partners have instilled throughout the firm. As a result, our breadth of work and our national presence continue to grow."
"I will admit it's hard to back away from KSS after 28 years," added Kehrt. "But it's is something we have been planning for many years. I have absolute confidence that Michael and our next generation will continue to add to the exceptional achievements of KSS for many, many years. It's been a great ride!"
Kehrt's legacy of projects include Rutgers University's Biomedical Engineering Building, the renovation and expansion of Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, the recent new campus center at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and Princeton Township's Municipal Complex.
In 2001, Kehrt was elevated to the American Institute of Architects' College of Fellows, an honor bestowed to only 3 percent of all registered architects in the U.S. In 2008, Kehrt was nominated to the AIA's Jury of Fellows, a three-year post, and served as a chairman in 2010. Kehrt was also named Architect of the Year by AIA New Jersey in 2006.
Active in the design education community, Allan has served as faculty, guest lecturer, or juror at many colleges of architecture in the east, including the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia University, Moore College of Art & Design, New Jersey Institute of Technology and his alma mater Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he will continue on its Advisory Board. He has presented and lectured for many professional organizations including the American Institute of Architects and the Society of College and University Planning. BD+C
Related Stories
Green | Nov 13, 2022
NREL report: Using photovoltaic modules with longer lifetimes is a better option than recycling
A new report from the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) says PV module lifetime extensions should be prioritized over closed-loop recycling to reduce demand for new materials.
Green | Nov 13, 2022
Global building emissions reached record levels in 2021
Carbon-dioxide emissions from building construction and operations hit an all-time high in 2021, according to the most recent data compiled by the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction.
University Buildings | Nov 13, 2022
University of Washington opens mass timber business school building
Founders Hall at the University of Washington Foster School of Business, the first mass timber building at Seattle campus of Univ. of Washington, was recently completed. The 84,800-sf building creates a new hub for community, entrepreneurship, and innovation, according the project’s design architect LMN Architects.
Architects | Nov 10, 2022
What’s new at 173 architecture firms for 2022
More than 295 U.S. architecture and architecture-engineering (AE) firms participated in BD+C's 2022 Giants 400 survey. As part of the Giants survey process, participating firms are asked to describe their most impactful firm innovations and noteworthy company moves in the past 12 months. Here is a collection of the most compelling business and project innovations and business moves from the 2022 Architecture Giants.
Giants 400 | Nov 9, 2022
Top 30 Data Center Architecture + AE Firms for 2022
HDR, Corgan, Sheehan Nagle Hartray Architects, and Gensler top the ranking of the nation's largest data center architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Nov 8, 2022
Top 110 Sports Facility Architecture and AE Firms for 2022
Populous, HOK, Gensler, and Perkins and Will top the ranking of the nation's largest sports facility architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2022, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report.
Industry Research | Nov 8, 2022
U.S. metros take the lead in decarbonizing their built environments
A new JLL report evaluates the goals and actions of 18 cities.
Hotel Facilities | Nov 8, 2022
6 hotel design trends for 2022-2023
Personalization of the hotel guest experience shapes new construction and renovation, say architects and construction experts in this sector.
Green | Nov 8, 2022
USGBC and IWBI will develop dual certification pathways for LEED and WELL
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) will expand their strategic partnership to develop dual certification pathways for LEED and WELL.
Reconstruction & Renovation | Nov 8, 2022
Renovation work outpaces new construction for first time in two decades
Renovations of older buildings in U.S. cities recently hit a record high as reflected in architecture firm billings, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA).