Curtis W. Fentress

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Curtis W. Fentress, FAIA, RIBA
Personal information
Name Curtis W. Fentress, FAIA, RIBA
Nationality American
Birth date 1947
Birth place Greensboro, North Carolina
Work
Practice name Fentress Architects
Significant buildings Denver International Airport, Colorado Convention Center, Incheon International Airport, National Museum of the Marine Corps
Awards and prizes Over 240 for design excellence

Curtis W. Fentress, FAIA, RIBA (b. 1947), an American architect, is the Principal-in-Charge of Design at Fentress Architects, which he founded in Denver, Colorado, USA in 1980. Among his most recognized works are the Denver International Airport, Incheon International Airport in Seoul, Korea, and the Colorado Convention Center. Adept in the public process, many of Fentress’ notable works are in the genre of civic, airport and museum architecture. He is well-known for his innovative designs and skillful employment of intricate architectural models, as well as fulfilling the firm’s mission to create Inspired Design for People. Clients praise Fentress’ approach as enthusiastic, creative and collaborative.

Contents

[edit] History

Fentress was born in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1947. He received a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1972 from North Carolina State University’s College of Design, School of Architecture, where he finished among the top of his class. While in residence he was awarded an American Institute of Architects Fellowship (1970), a Graham Foundation Fellowship (1971), and the Alpha Rho Chi Medal — the highest honor bestowed on a designer by an architectural school (1972).

After graduation, Fentress joined the New York firm of I. M. Pei and Partners (1972-1977) where he worked on several international projects including the Raffles Place Center in Singapore. As a Project Designer at Kohn Pedersen Fox of New York (1977-1980), he was responsible for designing the Amoco Building in Denver, Colorado, a composition for which he was awarded Building Design and Construction Magazine’s “Young Professional of the Year” in 1977. In January of 1980, Fentress formed C.W. Fentress and Associates, with James Henry Bradburn. Bradburn retired in 2004 and, in 2007, the firm’s name was abbreviated from Fentress Bradburn Architects to Fentress Architects.

[edit] Architectural philosophy

Rather than promoting a “signature style,” Fentress’ architecture is well known for articulating a client’s unique culture and vision, as well as honoring the unique context of each project (known as Contextual Regionalism). For example, the design of Denver International Airport’s passenger terminal complex captures the essence of the Rocky Mountains’ breathtaking snow-capped peaks and valleys. As one of the world’s largest, structurally integrated, tensile-membrane roofs, its innovative, white peaked roof has become a memorable, iconic landmark for Denver and Colorado, welcoming nearly 50 million air travelers to the West annually.

The National Museum of Wildlife Art also illustrates this Fentress approach. Situated on a dramatic cliff overlooking the Jackson National Elk Refuge, the museum appears to emerge from the earth like a natural outcropping of rock. The museum's location provides a rare opportunity to view wildlife in its natural habitat, wildlife to which the museum’s art pays tribute. Constructed of rough stone to blend seamlessly into the native terrain of Jackson, Wyoming, the building captures and reflects the area's natural beauty. The result is an original, contextually relevant and timeless design.

[edit] Rankings

Fentress Architects is one of the largest architectural firms in Colorado and employs more than 100 professionals. The practice is active on both a national and international scale, with projects in over a dozen states, as well as the Middle East, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Central America and South Korea. The firm has also won over 240 awards, including 72 from the American Institute of Architects, since 1980. Among recent honors was the designation of Incheon International Airport — by air travelers worldwide — as the “Best Airport in the World 2007” in the Official Airline Guide.

The following are national architectural firm rankings for Fentress Architects in 2006:

  • Architectural Record’s “Top 150 Architecture Firms” – Fentress Architects ranked #24 among architecture-only firms [1]
  • Building Design & Construction’s “Giants 300,” Top Architects – Fentress Architects ranked #18 among architecture-only firms [2]
  • Engineering News Record’s “Top 500 Design Firms” – Fentress Architects ranked #29 among architecture-only firms [3]
  • Engineering News Record’s “Top Airport Design Firms” – Fentress Architects ranked in top 25 firms

In 2003, Colorado Construction ranked Fentress Architects as the Top Architectural Firm in Colorado. [4] Fentress ranked #14 in California Construction’s “Top Design Firms” in 2005. [5]

[edit] Sustainable design

As an industry leader in environmentally responsible and technologically advanced architecture, Fentress Architects implements a solution-driven approach to unique and challenging design opportunities. The firm’s early commitment to sustainable design was acknowledged in 1993 with the Architecture and Energy Award for the Natural Resources Building in Olympia, Washington. Since then, over 40 of Fentress’ more than 240 design awards have been for projects that exhibit excellence in green architecture, including the 2003 LEED Gold 2.0 award for California’s Department of Education Headquarters Building, which received Platinum certification in 2006 by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. The firm is currently working on four more projects built for LEED Gold and Silver certifications. The majority of the firm’s licensed architects are LEED accredited.

[edit] Design competitions

As Principal-in-Charge of Design, Fentress has directed the design of a variety of public sector projects in the U.S. and abroad, including the passenger terminal complex of Denver International Airport. He has a passion for competing in design contests to keep the firm’s competitive edge sharp and gauge its expertise against competitors. Under Fentress’ insightful stewardship, the firm has won 28 national and international design competitions, including the University of California — Irvine Humanities Gateway, Irvine, California; U.S. Federal Courthouse, Cape Girardeau, Missouri; the National Museum of the Marine Corps and Heritage Center in Quantico, Virginia; Incheon International Airport in Seoul, Korea; the City of Oakland Administration Buildings in Oakland, California; Doha International Airport in Qatar; the Clark County Government Center in Las Vegas, Nevada; the Natural Resources Building in Olympia, Washington; and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Fentress is licensed in 48 states. He was the 1993 President of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Colorado and was inducted into the AIA College of Fellows in 1996. He is a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, the American Institute of Architects National Design Committee, the Urban Land Institute, Urban Design Forum and the Denver Chamber of Commerce. As an enthusiast of the keen young architectural mind, Fentress continues to lecture widely and serve as a visiting critic at colleges and universities across the United States. Fentress was appointed in July, 1998 to the General Services Administration National Register of Peer Professionals for a 2-year term where members serve to assist the U.S. GSA Public Buildings Service in efforts to improve design quality in public buildings.

[edit] Portfolio

Fentress Architects has extensive design experience in the public sector, having produced more than 105 civic projects, totaling over 50 million s.f. and $10 billion. Below are some of the most memorable, timeless projects in the firm’s portfolio:


[edit] Further reading

Editors, writers, and publishers have recognized Fentress Architects’ growing influence on architecture in over 1,000 articles and ten publications, including:

  • The Master Architect Series III, Fentress Bradburn Selected and Current Works (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 Works, Images Publishing, 2001
  • Architecture in the Public Interest, Edizioni, 2001
  • Civic Builders, Wiley-Academy, Great Britain, 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
Newspaper/magazine articles
  • "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

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Architectural Record Top 150 Design Firms
  2. ^ BD&C Giants 300
  3. ^ ENR Top 500 Design Firms
  4. ^ Colorado Construction Top Architectural Firms
  5. ^ California Construction Top Design Firms

[edit] External links