Kevin Roche
USA | 1922 – 2019
Kevin Roche was an influential architect known for his innovative approach to modern architecture. He was born in Dublin, Ireland, where he developed an interest in architecture at a young age. Roche studied architecture first at the University College Dublin and then at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Roche’s career was marked by a profound collaboration with Eero Saarinen, under whom he worked early is his career. Following Saarinen’s death in 1961, Roche completed many of Saarinen’s unfinished works. Thus began Roche’s ascension in the field of architecture.
In 1966, Roche, along with John Dinkeloo, established Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates. This firm became known for its innovative and futuristic designs, which often integrated cutting-edge technology and eco-friendly practices. Roche’s design philosophy centered around creating spaces that were not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional and in harmony with their environment.
Roche’s portfolio includes a wide range of projects, from corporate headquarters, such as the Union Carbide Corporation Building in Connecticut, to cultural institutions like the expansion of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. His work was characterized by a unique blend of modernist principles with a keen sensitivity to the site and context, resulting in buildings that were both distinctive and harmonious with their surroundings.
Throughout his career, Roche received numerous accolades, including the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1982. His legacy is not just in the buildings he created but also in his contribution to the discourse of modern architecture, where he advocated for an architecture that was both innovative and responsive to the human experience.
Kevin Roche passed away in 2019, but his work continues to inspire architects and designers worldwide, standing as a testament to his visionary approach and enduring impact on the landscape of modern architecture.
Awards
Pritzker Architecture Prize 1982
AIA Gold Medal
American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal
Portfolio Highlights
Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C., USA (1962)
© Joe Ravi (Own Work) [CC BY SA 3.0] via Wikimedia Commons
TWA Terminal, John F. Kennedy Airport, New York, NY, USA (1959-1962)
© Acroterion (Own Work) [CC BY SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons
Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO, USA (1965)
© Daniel Haim (Own Work) [CC BY SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons
Ford Foundation Building, New York, NY, USA (1968)
© away_suresh (Own Work) [CC BY SA 2.0] via Wikimedia Commons
Knights of Columbus Building, New Haven, CT, USA (1969)
© Gunnar Black (Own Work) [CC BY SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons
College Life Insurance Company (The Pyramids), Indianapolis, IN, USA (1970)
© Valerie Everett (Own Work) [CC BY SA 2.0] via Wikimedia Commons
One United Nations Plaza (Millennium Hotel New York), New York, NY, USA (1976)
© Choinowski (Own Work) [CC BY SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons
Seckler Wing for the Temple of Dendur, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, USA (1978)
© Elisa.rolle (Own Work) [CC BY SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons
American Wing, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, USA (1980)
© Thomson200 (Own Work) [CC by 1.0] via Wikimedia Commons
Central Park Zoo, New York, NY, USA (1988)
© Javier Kohen (Own Work) [CC BY SA 2.0] via Wikimedia Commons
750 7th Avenue, New York NY, USA (1989)
© Epicgenius (Own Work) [CC BY SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons
Bank of America Plaza (formerly NationsBank Building), Atlanta, GA, USA (1993)
© Username11236 (Own Work) [CC BY SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons
DN Tower 21, Tokyo, Japan (1988-1993)
© Kakidai (Own Work) [CC BY SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons
Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York, NY, USA (1997)
© Gryffindor (Own Work) [CC BY SA 3.0] via Wikimedia Commons
Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center, Massachusetts, Cambridge, MA, USA (1997)
© Aleksandr Zykov (Own Work) [CC BY SA 2.0] via Wikimedia Commons
CBS Building, New York, NY, USA (1997)
© Epicgenius (Own Work) [CC BY SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons
Convention Centre Dublin, Dublin, Ireland (1998-2010)
