Fentress Architects
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Architecture |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Founder | Curtis W. Fentress |
| Headquarters | Denver , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Curtis W. Fentress (Founder) |
| Products | Architecture services, including airports, museums, university facilities, convention centers, laboratories, office buildings |
Number of employees | Over 425 design awards and project portfolio valued at $27 billion serving more than 330 million people annually (implying large size, exact number not given) |
Fentress Architects is a globally recognized design firm focused on large-scale public architecture, encompassing airports, museums, university facilities, convention centers, laboratories, and towering office buildings. Among its prominent works are the Denver International Airport (1995), the renovated Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX (2013), the National Museum of the Marine Corps near Quantico, Virginia (2005), and Raleigh, North Carolina’s Green Square Complex (2012).
Established in 1980 by founder Curtis W. Fentress, FAIA, RIBA, the firm’s architectural approach—particularly in airport design—has been likened to the expressionist style of Eero Saarinen. Architectural historian Donald Albrecht notes a distinctive regional character present throughout their projects. To support its worldwide clientele, Fentress Architects operates offices in Denver, Los Angeles, San Jose, Washington, D.C., London, and Shanghai.
Curtis Fentress has earned numerous distinguished accolades such as the 2010 Thomas Jefferson Award for public architecture from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the AIA Western Mountain Region Silver Medal, and AIA Colorado’s Architect of the Year in 2012. These honors reflect his visionary leadership and significant contributions to architectural innovation.
A key highlight in their portfolio is the Arraya Tower in Kuwait City—the tallest structure in Kuwait and ranked as the 53rd tallest building internationally. This project illustrates Fentress Architects’ growing presence and competitive strength in the global high-rise market.
History
Curtis Fentress, the founding principal, graduated with honors from North Carolina State University’s College of Design with a Bachelor of Architecture degree. He commenced his professional journey at I.M. Pei and Partners in New York City as a Senior Designer specializing in master planning before joining Kohn Pedersen Fox as Project Designer for Amoco’s Rocky Mountain Headquarters in Denver.
In 1980, Fentress partnered with James Henry Bradburn to launch C.W. Fentress and Associates. Despite early achievements, the firm encountered setbacks during the 1980s due to Colorado’s oil and gas industry downturn. Recovery came in 1987 when they secured victory in the Colorado Convention Center design competition against well-funded competitors, including a firm associated with Fentress’ mentor I.M. Pei. The firm’s international reputation expanded throughout the 1990s following their design of Denver International Airport (DIA), whose signature peaked roof redefined airport design and elevated the company’s market position.
While DIA initially struggled with baggage handling issues, it subsequently gained acclaim as "Best Airport in North America" and was ranked fourth among "Favorite American Architecture" projects over fifteen years. In 2001, Fentress Architects completed Seoul’s Incheon International Airport, which was honored as "Best Airport Worldwide" by Airport Council International for four consecutive years and named "Best Airport in the World" by the Official Airlines Guide in 2007.
Their diverse portfolio includes museums, convention centers, stadiums, and commercial office spaces. Following Bradburn’s retirement, the firm was renamed Fentress Architects in 2007. Currently, it holds over 425 design awards and manages a project portfolio valued at $27 billion, serving more than 330 million people annually across its international operations.
Now Boarding
In 2012, the Denver Art Museum hosted a significant exhibition titled Now Boarding: Fentress Airports + the Architecture of Flight, showcasing Fentress Architects' airport projects. The exhibit, curated by Donald Albrecht, who serves as the architectural curator for the Museum of the City of New York, remained open for close to three months.
A traveling edition of the exhibit was displayed in Amsterdam in November 2012, followed by the comprehensive exhibition debuting at the Museum of Flying in Santa Monica, California, in March 2013.
Awards and honors
World's Best Airports: Incheon International Airport in Seoul, designed by Fentress, earned the title "World's Best Airport" at Skytrax's 2009 World Airport Awards, which surveyed 8.6 million passengers.
World's Most Beautiful Airports:
- Incheon International Airport
- Denver International Airport, renowned for its Teflon-coated tensile fabric roof—the largest globally when unveiled in 1995.
Fourth tallest building worldwide completed in 2009: The Arraya Tower in Kuwait City, designed by Fentress, stood as Kuwait's tallest structure and ranked fourth globally in 2009. This tower is one of fourteen high-rise projects within Fentress’ portfolio across the Persian Gulf region.
Architectural philosophy
Fentress champions a design methodology known as the "Patient Search," which prioritizes comprehensive analysis of site conditions and cultural context over predetermined ideas. He characterizes his approach as fundamentally pragmatic, aiming to uncover the artistic essence inherent in each project through deliberate investigation.
Rankings
- Ranked #24 among architecture-only firms on Architectural Record's "Top 150 Architecture Firms"
- Positioned #18 on Building Design & Construction's "Giants 300" list for top architects specializing solely in architecture
- Placed #29 among architecture-only firms in Engineering News Record's "Top 500 Design Firms"
- Listed within the top 25 firms on Engineering News Record's "Top Airport Design Firms"
- Named Colorado's leading architectural firm by Colorado Construction in 2003; ranked #14 on California Construction's "Top Design Firms" list in 2005
Sustainable design
- Honored with the 1993 Architecture and Energy Award for the Natural Resources Building located in Olympia, Washington
- Nearly half of the design team holds LEED accreditation
- In 2009, over 60% of projects either under construction or completed were LEED certified or awaiting certification
- Achieved LEED Gold certification in 2003 for the California Department of Education Headquarters, which later advanced to Platinum status in 2006; this project was highlighted as a High Performing Buildings case study
Prominent LEED certified projects include:
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine—LEED Gold
- Green Square Complex—anticipated LEED Platinum
- Palazzo Verdi—LEED Gold
- San Joaquin County Administration Building—LEED Gold
- Santa Fe Community Convention Center—LEED Gold
- David E. Skaggs Federal Building (NOAA)
- UCI Humanities Gateway—LEED Platinum
- California Department of Education Headquarters—LEED Platinum
Projects
Airports
- Denver International Airport Main Passenger Terminal, Denver, Colorado, USA
- Incheon International Airport Passenger Terminal, Seoul, South Korea
- Los Angeles International Airport Master Plan and International Terminal, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Raleigh-Durham International Airport Terminal 2 Redevelopment, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Central Terminal Expansion, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, Terminal B, San Jose, California, USA
- Sacramento International Airport, Sacramento, California, USA
- Doha International Airport (Tower), Doha, Qatar
Civic
- Ralph L. Carr Judicial Center, Denver, Colorado, USA
- California Department of Education Headquarters, Sacramento, California, USA
- City of Oakland Administration Buildings, Oakland, California, USA
- Clark County Government Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- Colorado State Capitol Renovations, Denver, Colorado, USA
- Jefferson County Government Center, Golden, Colorado, USA
- Regional Transportation Center and Flood Control District Headquarters, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- Sacramento City Hall, Sacramento, California, USA
- San Joaquin County Administration Building, Stockton, California, USA
Commercial Office & Mixed-Use
- Arraya Class A Office Tower in Kuwait City — recognized as the world's fourth tallest building completed in 2009
- Baitek and Kuwait Business Town developments located in Kuwait City and Al Sharq
- Mixed-use towers situated in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Office buildings at 1999 Broadway and 421 Broadway in Denver, Colorado
- Corporate campuses for Gulf Canada Resources Limited and JD Edwards & Co., Denver
- UniSource Energy Tower based in Tucson, Arizona
- Palazzo Verdi mixed-use development located in Greenwood Village, Colorado
Cultural
- Green Square Complex and Army Visitor & Education Center located in Raleigh and Carlisle respectively
- Buffalo Bill Historical Center and Draper National History Museum situated in Cody, Wyoming
- Museum of Science in Boston and Museum of Western Art in Denver
- Expansion and renovation projects for the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City
- National Museum of the Marine Corps at Quantico and National Museum of Wildlife Art located in Jackson
Laboratory
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine in La Jolla alongside David E. Skaggs Research Center in Boulder
- Natural Resources Building situated in Olympia
- University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus Research Complexes I & II located in Aurora
Public Assembly
- Expansion projects including Arvada Center and Colorado Convention Center Phase II located in Denver
- Eccles Conference Center and Peery's Egyptian Theatre situated in Ogden
- Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium based in Denver
- Palm Springs Convention Center Expansion alongside Pasadena Conference Center Expansion
- Santa Fe Conference Center located in Santa Fe
Education
- Tennyson Center for Children and Denver Academy High School based in Denver
- Mathematics Building & Gemmill Engineering Library at University of Colorado Boulder
- Humanities Gateway at University of California Irvine
Hotel & Residential
- One Polo Creek and One Wynkoop Plaza located within Denver
- Palmetto Bay Plantation situated on Roatan Bay Islands, Honduras
- Renovation of Tritch Building into Courtyard by Marriott hotel within Denver
- Watermark Luxury Residences based in Denver
Further reading
- The Master Architect Series III: Fentress Bradburn Selected and Current Projects (Australia, The Images Publishing Group Pty Ltd., 1998)
- Curtis Worth Fentress (Milano, Italy: L'Arca Edizioni spa, 1996)
- Fentress Bradburn Architects (Washington, D.C.: Studio Press, 1996)
- Gateway to the West (Australia, The Images Publishing Group Pty Ltd., 2000)
- Millennium: Fentress Bradburn Selected and Current Projects, Images Publishing, 2001
- Architecture in the Public Interest, Edizioni, 2001
- Civic Builders, Wiley-Academy, United Kingdom, 2002
- National Museum of the Marine Corps, North Carolina State University College of Design Publication, 2006
- 10 Airports — Fentress Bradburn Architects, Edizioni Press, 2006
- Portal to the Corps, Images Publishing, 2008
- Touchstones of Design [re]defining Public Architecture, Images Publishing, 2010
- Public Architecture: The Art Inside, Oro Publishing, 2010
Selected media coverage
- "Fentress Architects' DIA work opened global doors," Denver Business Journal, December 2007
- "Fentress has designs on Denver," Denver Post, July 8, 2006
- "Civic Minded Centers," Facility Manager, August/September 2006
- "The Seoul Experience: Incheon International Airport," Airport World, Summer 2006
- "Airport Architecture Taking Flight," International Airport Review, July 2001
- "Humanistic Architecture Yields Economic Benefits," Passenger Terminal World, June 2004
- "Airport Architecture: a blueprint for success," Passenger Terminal World, May 2004