KPF was founded in 1976 by A. Eugene Kohn, William Pedersen, and Sheldon Fox, all of whom coordinated their departure from John Carl Warnecke & Associates, among the largest architectural firms in the country.

Shortly thereafter, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) chose KPF to redevelop a former armory building on Manhattan's West Side to house TV studios and offices.

[5] KPF has been selected for projects in the Canary Wharf area through to the present day, including the Clifford Chance Tower (2002) to KPMG's European Headquarters (2009).

KPF was chosen for subsequent projects throughout Europe, including Provinciehuis in The Hague (1998), Danube House in River City, Prague (2003), the expansion and renovation of the World Trade Center in Amsterdam (2004) and the Endesa Headquarters in Madrid (2003).

Completed KPF projects in Asia include Plaza 66 on Shanghai's Nanjing Xi Lu (2001), Roppongi Hills in Tokyo (2003), Continental Engineering Corporation Tower in Taipei (2003), the Rodin Pavilion in Seoul (2003), the Merrill Lynch Japan Head Office in Tokyo (2004), Shr-Hwa International Tower in Taichung (2004), and the Shanghai World Financial Center (2008), which was named the "Best Tall Building Overall" by the Council on Tall Buildings and the Urban Habitat in 2008.

[6] KPF worked with renowned structural engineers, Leslie E. Robertson Associates, to maximize the tower's floor plate and material efficiency by perfecting its tapered form.

[7] In November 2018, the firm announced the opening of new offices in San Francisco, Berlin, and Singapore to support current projects, new commissions, and imminent endeavors in those regions.

[13] Outside of the United States, KPF has been contributing to the regeneration and conservation of the Covent Garden Estate in the roles of both master planner and architect for a collection of buildings.