June 2017

10 BUILD / June 2017 , Flying High Fentress Architects is a global design firm that passionately pursues the creation of sustainable and iconic architecture. We caught up with founder Curtis Fentress to talk about the overwhelming success that the firmhas enjoyed over the last three decades. Fentress Architects is an international design firm headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with studios all around the world. Founded by Curtis Fentress in 1980, the firm passionately pursues the creation of iconic public architecture. Known for his “patient search,” Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA, has designed $38 billion of architectural landmarks worldwide, visited by more than 450 million people each year. Fentress is internationally known for innovative, award- winning design of airports, museums, convention centers, laboratories, higher education, civic and government buildings. Additionally, the firm designs office, mixed-use, religious and residential buildings. The firm ranks among the Top 10 Green Design Firms in the US and has been pioneering sustainable design since the early 1990s — creating the world’s largest day lit structure and the largest LEED Gold building (which later achieved LEED EB Platinum) in its era. The majority of the firm’s licensed architects are LEED Accredited Professionals. As a testament to the firm’s solution-driven and creative design approach, projects designed by Fentress have been honored with over 500 awards for innovation and excellence. In 2010, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) honored Curtis with the highest award for public architecture, the Thomas Jefferson Award, recognizing “a portfolio of accomplishments that evidences great depth while making a significant contribution to the quality of public architecture.” He was also awarded the highest honor from the AIA Western Mountain Region, the 2010 Silver Medal for “significant contributions to the profession and the citizens of the region, and transcending local boundaries in making these contributions.” He was inducted into the AIA College of Fellows in 1996, and is a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, Curtis discovered a passion for design in high school, and gravitated to classes in drafting and engineering. He went on to graduate with honors from North Carolina State University College of Design, where he was awarded an AIA-AIAF Fellowship, a Graham Foundation Fellowship, and the Alpha Rho Chi Medal – the highest honor bestowed on a designer by an architectural school. In 2010, North Carolina State University celebrated his achievements with the “Distinguished Alumni Award.” After graduation Curtis joined the New York firm of I.M. Pei and Partners where he worked on several international projects, including the Raffles Place Center in Singapore. From there he joined the newly-established firm of Kohn Pedersen Fox of New York, where he was Project Designer for the Amoco Building in Denver, Colorado. His work on the Amoco Building earned him recognition as Building Design and Construction Magazine’s “Young Professional of the Year,” and in January of 1980, Curtis Fentress established his own studio. Today, Fentress Architects has five international studios and a team of 150 professionals. The firm is well- known for its iconic designs that reflect the cultures and communities surrounding them. Curtis explains how Fentress differentiates itself from competitors and marks it out as the best choice for clients. “We listen closely to the clients to determine what they need and then design a timeless building for the common good,” he explains. “Fentress designs are each unique, with no signature look trademarking it as our own – we restrain our ego to create a space that tells the story of the community. “Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be — they design from the outside like the building is a piece of sculpture. I prefer to patiently search through extensive discovery until I find a seam somewhere, crack it open and discover the art inside.” For every project it pursues, the firm’s overall aim is to create a building that is both timeless and memorable, and one where function meets art. Based on logic, beauty and humanism, Fentress’ Eight Touchstones of Design are the foundation of its approach to public architecture and they guide the “patient search” to discover the art inside. “When designing the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center, we used our Touchstones to design a space that represents Colorado’s political and cultural core, while also implementing award-winning Building Information Modeling (BIM) and metrics,” comments Curtis. “The need to deliver outstanding architectural detailing on the project drove a cultural shift that elevated the use of BIM to new levels. The team collaboratively focused technology use and innovative processes to achieve key project success factors defined by the customer, and delivered an outstanding experience along the way. As a result, Fentress Architects won the American Institute of Architecture TAP Award for Virtual Design and Construction Efforts award for the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center.” “Design for People” is the core of the Fentress philosophy and, for Curtis, this can be defined as responsible architecture – architecture that honors the client, the people who will use the building, the community and the earth as a whole. “We believe successful design is achieved through close collaboration with our clients. On the Orlando International Airport South Terminal C project, we talked to multiple stakeholders and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority about their values when redesigning their terminal. The design goal was to create the next generation of The Orlando Experience by using large, small, and intimate gestures to create an unforgettable experience. 1703BU11