About Us
Fentress Architects Creates Iconic Architecture that Improves the Human Environment
Founded in 1980, Fentress Architects is a global design firm headquartered in Denver with five studios located throughout the United States. Our talented team of professionals have designed more than $52 billion in architectural landmarks worldwide, which have garnered close to 700 awards and are visited by more than 750 million people each year.
Our firm is internationally known for innovative, award-winning design of public buildings, including airports, museums, convention centers, civic and judicial facilities, laboratories, higher education, and more. Our portfolio also includes office, mixed-use, high rise, worship, and residential buildings.
We partner with our clients to deliver sustainability and resiliency, mission-critical technology, revitalization and transformation, historical preservation and restoration, studies and planning. Our Special Projects Studio (SPS) provides design-build and other fast-track delivery methods that achieve rapid mobilization on strict budgets.
Historical Timeline
1980
1985
1987
1990
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1998
1999
2002
2004
2005
2006
2009
2010
2011
2015
2016
2017
2019
2020
2021
1980
Curtis Fentress founds C.W. Fentress & Associates
1985
First ground-up high-rise, 1999 Broadway, opens in downtown Denver, and contributes to Denver Business Magazine recognizing the firm as a “Top Ten” business in Denver.
1987
Win second national design competition for Phase I of the Colorado Convention Center, groundbreaking occurs the next year and it is inaugurated during a 10-day celebration in 1990.
1990
Firm named changed to C.W. Fentress & J.H. Bradburn Associates
1992
The firm wins its first international design competition for Incheon International Airport, which opens to rave reviews nine years later.
1993
Natural Resources Building in Olympia, Washington receives Architecture and Energy Award, a testament to the firm’s early commitment to sustainable design.
1994
Awarded AIA Colorado Firm of the Year in recognition for contributions to the profession and the built environment.
1995
Denver International Airport opens and has since won over 40 awards, including more than 20 that distinguish it as one of the best airports both in North America and worldwide.
1996
Curtis Fentress is elevated to a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and a monograph of his work is published by l’Arcaedizioni.
1998
First stadium project: Mile High, home of the Denver Broncos.
1999
Fentress University, an AIA/CES provider, is founded to facilitate continuing education.
2002
Civic Builders is published, which showcases 30 contemporary projects by a wide selection of architects—from the world renowned
to the little known.
2004
Our first permanent satellite office opens in Washington, DC to support the National Museum of the Marine Corps and expand the firm’s presence on the east coast.
2005
Firm name is abbreviated to Fentress Architects following Jim Bradburn’s retirement in 2003, following 23 years of steadfast dedication and innumerable contributions.
2006
San Jose studio opens, followed two years later by the Los Angeles studio, to support a growing number of projects in California.
2009
At 60-stories-tall, Arraya Tower in Kuwait City was the firm’s first project in the Middle East. Upon completion it was the fourth tallest building in the world.
2010
AIA National honors Curtis Fentress with the prestigious Thomas Jefferson Award for Excellence in Public Architecture.
2011
The new Central Terminal B at Sacramento International Airport opens as largest design-build airport project completed to date.
2015
The Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport achieves U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Gold certification. At 1.25 million square feet, it is the largest airport terminal in the world with LEED certification.
2016
Invited by the European Cultural Centre and the Global Art Affairs Foundation, Fentress showcased the Now Boarding exhibition at the Venice Biennale from May to November in 2016. The exhibition explored the past, present and future of airport design.
2017
Fentress selected for their first embassy project by Statsbygg, the Norwegian Directorate of Public Construction and Property, to design the 30,000-square-foot expansion and renovation of the Royal Norwegian Chancery in Washington, DC.
2019
The elliptical glass façade of the Sie Welcome Center at the Denver Art Museum is constructed. It is the first structural glass wall of this scale and size in North America.
2020
Clark County Government Center is heralded “an architectural gem” by the AIA Western Mountain Region as it is recognized with the 25 Year Award.
2021
Deborah Lucking becomes firm’s first woman and ninth principal to be elevated to the AIA College of Fellows. Only three percent of AIA members hold this distinction worldwide.