Kevin Roche (1922-2019) had a lasting influence on the American architecture scene. After moving here from his native Ireland in 1948, Roche studied under Mies van Der Rohe, another significant European emigré, and quickly found his footing in the country's largest cities, producing numerous designs for New York City, New Haven and Indianapolis.
In 2015, we spoke with Roche about his life-long career as an architect. As Amelia Taylor-Hochberg wrote at the time, "Roche is a hero of the long-game – during his sixty-five year career in the U.S. (and counting), he has trained or worked alongside seminal architectural vanguards Charles and Ray Eames, Mies van der Rohe and Eero Saarinen, and on projects for such heavyweight clients as the Federal Reserve, MIT, Ford, Deutsche Bank and IBM. Still practicing today at age 92, Roche is a force to be reckoned with, thanks to an unflagging work ethic and realist approach to the profession’s shifting tides."
Roche was a unique voice in modern architecture for his ability to advocate for abstracted forms that nonetheless tied thoughtfully into their environments. Of special significance was his design for the Ford Foundation building, which the historian David Gissen described as "a significant project in the history of environmental design for its ability to marry the image of botanical conservation with burgeoning practices in worker productivity, allowing the building to receive generous funding in its production of a building hybrid."
3 Comments
The best ones are leaving us.
RIP one of the greats.
RIP
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.