About

National Wildlife Art Museum

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 over $43 billion in architectural landmarks worldwide, which have garnered over 600 awards and are visited by more than 650 million people each year.

Award-Winning Experience + Expertise

Historical Timeline

1980

1985

1987

1990

1992

1993

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1995

1996

1998

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2002

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2009

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2016

2017

2019

2020

2021

Curtis Worth Fentress, FAIA

1980

Curtis Fentress founds C.W. Fentress & Associates

1999 Broadway

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.

Colorado Convention Center

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.

Curtis W Fentress, James H Bradburn

1990

Firm named changed to C.W. Fentress & J.H. Bradburn Associates

Incheon International Airport

1992

Win first international design competition for Incheon International Airport, which opens to rave reviews nine years later.

Natural Resources Building Landscape View

1993

Natural Resources Building in Olympia, Washington receives Architecture and Energy Award, a testament to the firm’s early commitment to sustainable design.

American Institute of Architects

1994

Awarded Colorado AIA Firm of the Year in recognition for contributions to both the profession and the built environment.

Denver International Airport Passenger Terminal Complex

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.

Curtis W Fentress, FAIA

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.

Empower Field at Mile High Stadium

1998

First stadium project: Mile High, home of the Denver Broncos.

Fentress Architects University

1999

Fentress University, an internal AIA/CES provider, is founded to facilitate continuing education.

Sacramento City Hall

2002

Civic Builders is published, which  showcases 30 contemporary projects by a wide selection of architects—from the world renowned
to the little known.

National Museum of Marine Corps

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.

Fentress Architects logo

2005

Firm name is abbreviated to Fentress Architects following Jim Bradburn’s retirement in 2003 after 23 years of steadfast dedication and innumerable contributions.

Mineta San Jose International Airport at night

2006

San Jose studio opens, followed two years later by the Los Angeles studio, to support a growing number of projects in California.

Arraya Office Tower

2009

At 60-stories-tall, Arraya Tower in Kuwait City is the firm’s first project located in the Middle East and was, as of this year, the fourth tallest in the world.

Curtis Worth Fentress, FAIA

2010

Curtis Fentress is awarded National AIA Thomas Jefferson Award in recognition of contributions to public architecture.

Central Terminal B at Sacramento International Airport

2011

The new Central Terminal B at Sacramento International Airport opens as largest design-build airport project completed to date.

Los Angeles International Airport Tom Bradley Terminal

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 terminal in the world with LEED certification.

Now Boarding at the Venice Biennale

2016

Invited by the European Cultural Centre and the Global Art Affairs Foundation, Fentress presented Now Boarding at the Venice Biennale from from May 28 – November 27, 2016. The exhibition explored the past, present and future of airport design.

Royal Norwegian Chancery in Washington, DC

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.

Denver Art Museum Sie Welcome Center

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.

Clark County Government Center

2020

Clark County Government Center is heralded ”an architectural gem” as it wins AIA Western Mountain Region’s 25-Year Award.

Deborah Lucking

2021

Deborah Lucking becomes firm’s first woman and ninth principal (joining current principals Curtis Fentress, Mike Winters, Steve White, Ned Kirschbaum and Brian Chaffee) to be elevated to the AIA’s College of Fellows.  Only three percent of all AIA members hold this distinction.

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