Author: Jessica del Pilar

Sustainable Design Takes Flight at Nashville International Airport’s New Concourse D

Posted on by Jessica del Pilar

BNA’s Concourse D is One of Only Five LEED v4 Silver Airport Facilities in the United States

Fentress Architects is pleased to announce that the new Concourse D at Nashville International Airport (or BNA, as it is also known) has achieved LEED Silver certification, highlighting the project’s sustainable, wellness-oriented design and construction process. This distinction makes Concourse D one of only five newly constructed airport facilities in the United States, and one of nine airport facilities worldwide, to earn LEED Silver under the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) rigorous LEED v4 standards.

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence. LEED v4’s flexible, performance-based approach and progressive sustainability benchmarks are designed to optimize building performance and support occupant health and wellbeing.

“Fentress Architects has been at the forefront of green building design for over four decades,” said Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA, Principal in Charge of Design at Fentress Architects. “Energy conservation is a key element of not only our design approach, but our values as a firm. We are proud to have leveraged our expertise, along with the commitment of all partners involved in this significant project, to realize BNA’s forward-thinking sustainability standards.”

The Hensel Phelps | Fentress Architects Progressive Design-Build Team completed the $292 million, 115,000-square-foot expansion of Concourse D in July 2020, marking a major milestone for BNA® Vision—the dynamic expansion and renovation plan for Nashville International Airport. The project elevates the airport as a world-class facility with six domestic aircraft gates, public art, diverse traveler amenities, and improved ramp amenities and function space.

“LEED certification is a coveted mark of environmental distinction and innovation,” said BNA President and CEO Doug Kreulen. “We’re building not only a bigger airport, but also a better, ‘greener,’ more sustainable airport. I’m proud of our commitment to these principles and appreciative of all the hard work that went into obtaining this recognition.”

The project team’s integrative and passenger-centric approach incorporated several green design and construction components to optimize building performance and passenger comfort while minimizing environmental impacts, including:

  • Electrochromic glass that blocks out excessive sunlight and heat for passengers’ comfort while reducing glare and energy consumption for climate control;
  • Energy efficient and programmable lighting that dims when natural light is adequate for visibility;
  • Focus on human health and wellness with features including an abundance of daylighting, green cleaning practices, water bottle filling stations, public art installations, and more;
  • Light-colored building and paving materials that retain less heat, reducing energy use while mitigating heat-island effect;
  • Geothermal cooling reduces energy consumption and costs for climate control;
  • Water-conserving plumbing; and
  • Waste-reduction focus with recycling bins throughout the concourse and 80 percent of construction waste diverted from landfills.

Other key project partners include Corgan (master architect for BNA® Vision), I.C. Thomasson Associates Inc. (mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer), Smith Seckman Reid Inc. (commissioning agent), and S&ME (civil engineer/landscape designer).

“At every stage of the project, from the design process to construction, the project team remained committed to aligning our approach with the airport’s sustainability targets,” said Deborah Lucking, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Director of Sustainability at Fentress Architects. “Fentress is committed to advancing sustainability and human wellness in the built environment and achieving LEED v4 Silver showcases the project team’s dedication to going far beyond the minimum LEED requirements to achieve certification.”

As a Top Green Design Firm in the U.S., Fentress’ portfolio includes several world-class, sustainable airport facilities such as Mineta San Jose International Airport’s Terminal B (LEED Silver); Los Angeles International Airport’s Tom Bradley International Terminal (LEED Gold); Sacramento International Airport’s Terminal B (LEED Silver); and San Francisco International Airport Replacement Airport Traffic Control Tower (LEED Gold). Fentress recently completed the new Concourse E Extension at Portland International Airport, which is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification. Additionally, the firm has several green airport projects underway, including Orlando International Airport’s new South Terminal C (on track to achieve LEED certification) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport’s Mickey Leland International Terminal (designed to LEED Silver).

2020 ‘Airport of the Future’ Global Student Design Competition Winners Announced

Posted on by Jessica del Pilar

Winning Projects Reimagine Airport Mobility in the Year 2100 for One of the 20 Busiest Airports in the World

The Green Gateway—a zero-emission, highly sustainable multimodal hub—has been named the winner for the 2020 Fentress Global Challenge (FGC), an annual global student design competition launched in 2011 by Fentress Architects that represents the firm’s commitment to advancing innovative design in public architecture and attracts students from around the world.

Envisioning the Airport of the Future

With over 100 submissions from students in over 15 countries, this year’s competition challenged participants to envision airport mobility in the year 2100. Participants proposed a diverse spectrum of design concepts to improve the airport passenger terminal building, addressing the key factors such as futuristic transportation technologies, urbanization, globalization, technology, flexibility, security, project feasibility, and passenger experience.

The 2020 winning proposals reflect the radical innovation, quality and curiosity required to advance airport terminal design. The first-place prize is valued at USD$15,000, second place USD$3,000, third place USD$2,000, and the two People’s Choice Awards will receive USD$1,000.

“A deep passion for design and a creative mindset are the cornerstone of any successful design competition submission,” said Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA, Principal in Charge of Design at Fentress Architects. “Each year, the submissions we receive are more innovative, spirited and dynamic than the prior year, which shows an exciting outlook for the future of terminal design. We’re greatly impressed by this year’s winners and every submission we received.”  

First-Place Winner: BANIYA, The Green Gateway, designed by Nikhil Bang and Kaushal Tatiya from the Southern California Institute of Architecture.

A Green Gateway

The winning concept, designed by Nikhil Bang and Kaushal Tatiya from the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), transforms Indira Gandhi International Airport into a forward-thinking, sustainable multimodal hub that mitigates the enivironmental impacts of air travel while enhancing mobility across New Delhi, India—one of the most populated and polluted cities in the world. The design, dubbed “the Green Gateway,” proposes a future where airports are more than buildings; they provide a seamless connection to the cultural context of the site, from their planning to their form and materiality.

Embracing sustainable design strategies, the zero-emission concept features a decentralized system of one central terminal and six towers dispersed throughout the city. The towers provide a dual purpose, working as both air-purifying centers and stations for flying cars. This solution significantly improves mobility across the city by replacing domestic flights as one of the major sources of pollution.

The students’ submission describes the airport’s design as “zero-emission at the macro and micro level, improving mobility across the city by replacing domestic flight as one of the major sources of pollution and making air travel a person affair.”

Second-Place Winner: Sejkul, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Drive-In Airport by Dušan Sekulic, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Second Place Winner

What does travel and transportation look like in 2100? According to second-place winner Dušan Sekulic—a student at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia—fully autonomous pods, driving chairs, AI-powered navigation, and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft will be key ingredients to designing the next-gen airport experience. The concept proposes reimagining Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)—the busiest airport in the world—as a drive-in airport where travelers’ individual pods and driving chairs bring them directly to the aircraft. Playing off of Atlanta’s reputation as a “city in the forest,” the new ATL will feature a green design approach, merging the airport with the city’s skyline to create an “airport in the forest.”

Third-Place Winner: W.A.D, Floating Aero City designed by Yuanxiang Chan, Chaofan Zhang, and Zhuangzhuang King from Beijing Jiaotong University.

Third Place Winner

This year’s third-place winner responded to an ever-important reality: how airport design can prepare airports located in high-density seaside cities to adapt to the effects of climate change. Floating Aero City, designed by Yuanxiang Chan, Chaofan Zhang, and Zhuangzhuang King from Beijing Jiaotong University, provides a highly visionary approach to sustainable design. Located in Hong Kong, the airport responds to the site’s subtropical climate conditions and high-density issues. Floating on Hong Kong’s ocean, the airport’s three-dimensional, moveable platform reduces the impact on the natural terrain while increasing available land. The structure’s vertical form significantly reduces the time it takes passengers to flow from check-in to boarding, enhancing the overall passenger experience. Sustainable design strategies include daylighting, tidal power generation, a circular runway and hydrogen-powered aircraft.

#1 People’s Choice Award Winner: Arch YiYang, The Vertebrae, designed by Yi Yang Chai and Sharon Cho from the University of Malaya.

People’s Choice Awards

The Vertebrae, designed by Yi Yang Chai and Sharon Cho from the University of Malaya, won the #1 People’s Choice Award with more than 6,200 public votes. The biophilic design harmonizes the built environment with nature to create a “garden city”—the future airport archetype that forms a contextual representation of its culture. Located in Singapore, the concept infuses a biophilic and sustainable approach into every element of the design to renvision the airport as a model of sustainability while amplifying the country’s national identity.

#2 People’s Choice Award Winner: RIE, O’Pon the Hill, designed by Ridwan Arifin, Imaduddin Dhia Ul-Fath and Ervin Dwiratno from Yogyakarta University of Technology

Garnering over 5,900 public votes, O’Pon the Hill Airport landed the #2 People’s Choice Award. Designed by Ridwan Arifin, Imaduddin Dhia Ul-Fath and Ervin Dwiratno from Yogyakarta University of Technology, the concept blends culture, history and technology to envision the future of O’Hare International Airport. This futuristic terminal features a Smart Air Pad to accommodate vertical take-off and landing. Equipped with nanotechnology, the Smart Air Pad examines the performance of aircraft. Additionally, People Mover Pods move passengers throughout the terminal, enhancing circulation and the overall passenger experience.

2020 Fentress Global Challenge Jurors

This year’s winners were handpicked by seven esteemed jurors that are experts in aviation, architecture and engineering.

Jury members include:

  • Curtis W. Fentress, FAIA, RIBA – Principal in Charge of Design, Fentress Architects
  • Agatha Kessler – Chairman, Fentress Architects
  • Lois Kramer – CEO, KRAMER aerotek inc.
  • George Miller – Richard Meier & Partners Architects LLP
  • Dr. Patricia A. Ryan – President, Decision Services International
  • Somer Shindler – Owner, J. Shindler Solutions
  • Bradley D. Schulz, FAIA

Looking Ahead

The future of aviation and airport terminal design is an ever-changing vision. The Fentress Global Challenge provides an essential platform for students to test their innovation and fuel their creativity. With the new year quickly approaching, Fentress is excited to prepare for the 2021 Fentress Global Challenge. Registration will soon go live. To stay updated on next year’s competition, please visit: https://fentressglobalchallenge.com/.

Miami Beach Convention Center Wins Silver at WAN Awards 2020

Posted on by Jessica del Pilar

Another Significant Award for the Miami Beach Convention Center Renovation + Expansion

The Miami Beach Convention Center Renovation and Expansion was recently named the Silver Winner in the Façade category of the 2020 World Architecture News (WAN) Awards. As one of the largest architectural awards programs in the world, the WAN Awards showcases top projects from around to world to celebrate design excellence.

“The winning entries all clearly demonstrate the creative, outstanding work of the innovative and visionary architects worldwide,” said Alison Carter, Editor, World Architecture News.

Photo by ©Tom Clark

Innovative Façade Design

Located two blocks from the ocean in South Beach, the Miami Beach Convention Center’s undulating façade highlights features of the local environment and places an emphasis on rolling ocean waves. Over 500 unique aluminum fins are affixed to the exterior curtainwall. In traditional architecture, each fin would have been detailed by hand and laboriously redrawn with each modification. In this case, the utilization of parametric software has seamlessly interfaced with design and documentation models to provide accurate, real-time updates. In addition to saving manhours and ensuring accuracy, the parametric software facilitated the fabrication process, allowing coordinates to be directly imported into the manufacturer’s modeling software.

The resulting fins create an efficient curtainwall screen that responds to the solar orientation of each façade, generating dappled and diffused light from the intense tropical sun of Southern Florida. The result is daylit lobbies and prefunction spaces that provide a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor environments.

Learn more about the entry and the WAN Awards here.

The National Museum of the Marine Corps’ Innovative Design Featured in ‘The Military Engineer’

Posted on by Jessica del Pilar
Curtis Fentress discusses the design process behind the National Museum of the Marine Corps in the November-December 2021 issue of The Military Engineer (TME).

In designing the National Museum of the Marine Corps, an in-depth research and discovery phase, combined with a commitment to sustainability and adaptability, has helped ensure a lasting legacy emblematic of the Marines’ esprit de corps.

In 1990, Congress passed legislation encouraging each branch of the military to create a national museum. In 1997, driven by the need to find a home for more than 60,000 rare artifacts, the U.S. Marine Corps partnered with the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation to create the National Museum of the Marine Corps (NMMC).

Then in 2001, following a national design competition, Fentress Architects was selected to design an architectural form reflective of the seminal moments in Marine Corps history. Located on a distinct 135-acre site bounded by I-95 and the main entrance to Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., the 120,000-ft2 museum recognizes the important history of the Marines and educates service members and civilians on their duties and skills through a combination of artifacts, interactive exhibits, and immersion galleries.

Now with the latest project phase underway, NMMC’s 30-yearlong project timeline showcases the tremendous effort to design and construct what has become not only a monumental national museum, but a facility aimed at supporting the mission of the Marine Corps for years to come.

Read the full article here. 

Miami Beach Convention Center Wins IIDA’s “Best Serve Award”

Posted on by Jessica del Pilar

Fentress Architects is proud to announce that the Miami Beach Convention Center Expansion and Renovation has won the 2020 BESTaward in the Serve category from the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Rocky Mountain Chapter! As a leading interior design excellence awards program, the BESTawards recognizes projects that truly encompass “Brilliantly Executed Spaces and Thinking.”

Located in the heart of the city, the 1950s Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) needed a transformation befitting its reputation as a world-class entertainment destination the venue has become known for through annual events such as Art Basel and eMERGE Americas. To create a design that is quintessentially South Florida, we explored the surrounding culture and context, allowing for the design to become a contextual representation of the city.

One of the greatest challenges was harmonizing the 1.4 million-square-foot, grand scale building with the intimacy of human scale to create flexible, intuitive and daylit spaces. Inspired by the undulating ocean waves, the exterior façades’ “fins” – angled aluminum linear forms – filter dappled light throughout the daylit lobbies and pre-function spaces to provide a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor environments. This contextual inspiration was brought inside with colors and patterns that emulate receding water, sea foam, and local coral reef patterns.

“The finish palette is extremely thoughtful in regards to the surrounding nature while not going too over the top.” — 2020 BESTawards Jury

The 60,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom. Photo Credit: © Craig Denis

To truly capture the essence of Miami Beach in the design, we carefully studied how light enters the surface of water, as well as how it appears underwater from a diver’s perspective. This experience is celebrated in the entries leading into the event spaces, where portals with beacons of light intuitively guide visitors into the room. We also translated satellite images of nearby ocean waves, coral and sandbars into custom patterns for the carpets throughout pre-function and public circulation areas. Lighting fixtures were selected to create an uplifting, yet serene atmosphere reminiscent of the ocean. 

Natural light, glistening white columns, and subdued lighting punctuate the pre-function lobbies.

Swooping curves, glistening white columns, and subdued lighting punctuate the pre-function lobbies and the 60,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, drawing inspiration from Miami’s modernist architecture. The new Grand Ballroom features acoustic sound panels to heighten sound quality and LED lighting to produce both high-quality lighting and energy savings.

Surrounded by natural light and modern glass paneling, the Grand Ballroom’s 18,000-square-foot pre-function space overlooks contemporary artwork installed by Miami Beach’s Art in Public Places. Within this environment, MBCC visitors and staff experience digital displays incorporating event-specific branding, art and dynamic visual elements.

Watch the IIDA RMC 2020 BESTawards Virtual Event and learn more about this year’s winners here. 

Miami Beach Convention Center Brings LEED Silver Certification to the Heart of Miami Beach

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MBCC is One of the Most Technologically-Advanced Convention Centers in the United States

The MBCC’s context-driven design reflects the natural elements of Miami’s acclaimed beaches, including waves, manta rays and coral reefs. Photo credit: ©Robin Hill.

Fentress Architects, a global design firm specializing in the creation of memorable public architecture, is excited to announce that the redesigned Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) recently achieved LEED Silver certification from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), marking a significant achievement in realizing the City of Miami Beach’s sustainability standards. Completed earlier this year, the 1.435 million-square-foot redesign included an expansion and renovation of the existing 1950s-era center to accommodate upgraded show needs while creating a sleek, modern and regionally inspired design befitting MBCC’s reputation as a world-class entertainment destination. The venue has become internationally known for hosting annual events such as Art Basel Miami Beach and eMERGE Americas.

“The Miami Beach Convention Center’s LEED Silver certification exemplifies the significant coordination, innovation and green building leadership that was demonstrated among the entire project team,” said Deborah Lucking, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Director of Sustainability at Fentress Architects. “This project stands as a testament of resilient, sustainable and forward-thinking design that will serve as a commitment to the community now and well into the future.”

Context-driven design

Located in the heart of Miami Beach, Florida, MBCC’s design realizes the City of Miami Beach’s vision to reposition the center as one of the most technologically advanced convention centers in the U.S. while enhancing the facility to comply with FEMA code as part of a resiliency plan to safeguard against future hurricanes and flooding. To create a design that reflects the city’s vibrant culture and natural environment, the design team immersed themselves in the landscape and lifestyle of Miami’s South Beach.

Fentress collaborated with Arquitectonica on the context-driven design to incorporate natural elements of ­the ocean, beach and underwater life such as waves, manta rays, and coral reefs. The exterior façade is designed with over 500 unique aluminum “fins” – angled aluminum linear forms – to create a curving undulation reflective of the nearby ocean waves. This contextual inspiration was brought inside with colors and patterns that emulate receding water, sea foam, and local coral reef patterns. The team also translated satellite images of nearby ocean waves, coral and sandbars into custom patterns for the carpets throughout pre-function and public circulation areas.

“This exciting milestone for the MBCC represents the culmination of a long journey, demonstrating the MBCC’s serious commitment to resiliency and sustainability,” said Freddie Peterson, General Manager at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Site responsive architecture

The façades’ angled fins create a curtain wall that responds to the solar orientation of each façade, filtering dappled light throughout the daylit lobbies and pre-function spaces to provide a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor environments. Hurricane-resistant connections and projectile resistant glazing on the exterior façade establish a strong and stable building envelope. Additionally, the elevation of critical building systems to the second floor allows the building to remain operational during hurricanes while raised floor elevations respond to rising sea levels.

Creating a resilient community amenity

In collaboration with West8, Fentress Architects transformed the existing six-acre surface parking lot into a vibrant public park – a key element of the project’s resilient design that includes a tropical garden, game lawn, shaded areas, and veterans’ plaza. Additionally, Bent Pool, a public art installation by international artists Elmgreen & Dragset celebrates Miami Beach’s dynamic culture and natural environment. In total, the design team added twelve acres of greenspace, preserved more than 100 existing trees, and added over 1,300 new trees. As a result, the design increases the pervious acreage of the 25-acre campus by 245% and significantly reduces heat island effect. The project is designed to a 25-year, 3-day storm event as the maximum stage for site drainage retention.

Clark County Government Center Wins AIA Western Mountain Region’s 25-Year Award

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Prestigious Award Heralds the Government Center an “Architectural Gem”

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Western Mountain Region (WMR) chapter has honored the Clark County Government Center, designed by Fentress Architects, with its 2020 Twenty-five Year Award. This prestigious award recognizes a built structure that has significantly influenced design and lifestyle in the Western Mountain Region. The project’s Southern Nevada-inspired design was recognized during the AIA Western Mountain Region Design and Honor Awards virtual Gala on Thursday, October 1, 2020.  

“In a town where icons are normally casinos and themed campuses, this project is refreshing because it has brought a conversation of architecture to the public consistently. We are really pleased to see that the community has embraced the project wholeheartedly.” — 2020 AIA WMR Honor Awards Jury

Following a national design competition with submissions from 45 architects—including Antoine Predock and Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates—Fentress Architects was selected to design the Government Center. Fentress completed the project in June 1995 with a mission to provide the county with a much-needed seat of government that would also serve as the heart of this rapidly growing Nevada community for years to come. Today, more than 25 years later, the 375,000-square-foot, six-story Government Center continues to stand as one of Southern Nevada’s most memorable architectural landmarks, highlighted in nearly 20 awards and distinctions such as “Best of Las Vegas, Best Non-Hotel Architecture” for eight consecutive years (1999-2005) by readers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

“At Fentress, we believe architecture should serve a longstanding commitment to the community,” said Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA, Principal in Charge of Design at Fentress Architects. “This award is not only a testament to our humanistic design approach, but to years of collaboration with Clark County officials and community members. The Clark County Government Center has created an enduring landmark for the region while showcasing a model of open, accessible and stable government.”

Design for People

Every detail of Fentress’ design—from the spatial organization and design of the commission chambers, to form and materiality—harmonizes to create an uplifting, human-centric experience. The firm’s approach embodies four main themes: realize a civic order through logical, functional and straightforward design; establish a sense of place; create a concept of open an accessible government; and conceive a stable, permanent, and valued image of county government.

The government center is organized around a multifunctional County Courtyard and shaded arcade, facilitating intuitive wayfinding while protecting visitors from the desert sun as they navigate the complex. Natural stone forms and trees complete the circular layout and define an outdoor amphitheater for special events, concerts, and ceremonies. Inside the Commission Chambers, the County Commissioners’ seats are recessed, placing the citizens of Clark County above the officials and symbolizing a government of the people.

Creating Meaning, Identity and Sense of Place

The design considers landscape an essential source for connecting architecture with community and the region’s history. Seeking to emulate Nevada’s native landscapes found at Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire, Fentress’ team visited the sites, borrowing inspiration from the dramatic surrounding desert environment including sandstone walls, unexpected openings and details, and geometric shapes.

These compelling references to Nevada’s history and natural landscape can be explored throughout the Government Center’s architecture. For example, the tree-lined pedestrian spine leading into the building represents the pathway to Mouse’s Tank at Valley of Fire, while petroglyphs chiseled in the shaded arcade illustrate actual sandstone carvings engraved by Native Americans throughout Southern Nevada. Inside the kiva-shaped County Room, the 80-foot diameter and 100-foot-high rotunda features a form and materiality inspired by the stream-worn basin of Mouse’s Tank. The pyramidal structure housing the 400-seat cafeteria and Community Room reflects the nearby Lone Mountain, and the triangular clerestories inside the Commission Chambers evoke the Prickly Pear cactus.

Connecting Architecture with Community

Clark County Government Center is not only an institution, but an amenity for the community. Each year, the amphitheater hosts diverse events ranging from cultural festivals and weddings, to regional traditions such as the annual Jazz in the Park series. A specially created docent program provides architectural tours to meet community demand to engage deeper with the building, the art events it hosts, and its many unique features. In fact, the building was a selected site tour at the AIA Conference on Architecture 2019. The Government Center showcases that the built environment can embrace, connect, and inspire its community—a true indication of the government center’s enduring significance in the Western Mountain Region.

2020 ‘Airport of the Future’ Global Student Design Competition Shortlist Announced

Posted on by Jessica del Pilar
2020 Fentress Global Challenge Entry. Team: Schiphol International, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, North Carolina State University.

Fentress Architects is excited to announce 22 entries have been shortlisted for the 2020 Fentress Global Challenge (FGC), which garnered more than 100 entries from students in over 15 countries.  FGC is an annual international student design competition launched in 2011 by Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA that encourages and rewards innovative design in public architecture. This year’s competition challenged students to envision airport mobility in the year 2100.

“Each year I am ever more impressed by the vision, creativity, and practicality set forth by these young architects,” said Curtis Fentress who is also Principal in Charge of Design at Fentress Architects. “This year’s shortlist couldn’t be more diverse; they range from a modular floating terminal to a self-growing airport integrated into the site’s ecosystem. Each concept pioneers creativity, advances innovation and recognizes real solutions that would enhance the passenger experience of 2100.”

Of the over 100 entries judged last month by a panel of architects and designers at Fentress Architects, most explored one of the following areas: Futuristic Mobility, Mitigation of COVID-19 and Zero-Emission.

Futuristic Mobility

Flying air pods carry passengers and their baggage to and from their home. Team: CGC, HK22, Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Several submissions built upon recent developments in futuristic transportation—from the Hyperloop to autonomous vehicles—to imagine the airport of the future as a multimodal hub equipped to handle next-generation aircraft, space travel, autonomous transportation, integration of the hyperloop, and even autonomous pods. Concepts ranged from terminals with launchpads for spaceflight and underground Hyperloop connections to the replacement of aircraft with self-flying autonomous pods.​

Mitigating COVID-19

This concept reimagines Heathrow International Airport as a “healing hub” that monitors and treats disease carriers. Team: S.T., Heathrow Healing Hub, Tel-Aviv University.

The current pandemic inspired a wide range of ideas on how airport design might help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, which may be more prevalent in 2100. Fully touchless airports as well as terminals that dual function as “healing hubs” were among the concepts that sought to create health-centric, comfortable, and efficient travel experiences.

Zero-Emission Airports

The Green Gateway transforms Indira Gandhi International Airport into a zero-mission, sustainable airport. Team: BANIYA, The Green Gateway, Southern California Institute of Architecture.

A number of submissions utilized cutting-edge solutions as a means to develop zero-emission airport facilities. Among the forward-thinking ideas submitted were airports that integrate with the surrounding ecosystem; terminals reimagined as greenhouses; and decentralized air purifying towers.

The 22 contestants will be judged virtually by a jury of renowned airport architects, directors, planners, and scholars. Winners will be announced in October.

The 2020 Shortlist:

  • W.A.D, Floating Aero City – Hong Kong International Airport, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China
  • Arch YiYang, The Vertebrae – Singapore Changi Airport, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • BANIYA, The Green Gateway – Indira Gandhi International Airport, Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arch), Los Angeles, California, USA
  • Ajay Kamaleshwaran, CornUcopia – Indira Gandhi International Airport, Anna University School of Architecture and Planning, Chennai, India
  • TIArch Studio, The Reserve – Indira Gandhi International Airport, Kazan State University of Architecture and Engineering, TIArch Studio, Kazan, Russia
  • Qianqian YU, ReBABEL – Hong Kong International Airport, Special School of Architecture (École Spéciale d’Architecture), Paris, France
  • Beyond Heathrow, A New Airport for London – Heathrow Airport, The Barlett – University College London, London, England
  • S.T., Heathrow Healing Hub – Heathrow Airport, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
  • Schiphol International, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
  • ISM, Resonance of the Antiquity – Indira Gandhi International Airport, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh 
  • Lucy Janik, LAX Airport Relocation – Los Angeles International Airport, Cracow University of Technology, Kraków, Poland 
  • Qian Lin and Umica Yelavarthy, Shanghai Pudong International Airport of the Future, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
  • Henry Alridge, A Built-In Obsolescence – Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England 
  • CGC, HK22 – Hong Kong International Airport, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA 
  • CRAB, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
  • PRAXIS, Modular Floating Airport, Singapore University of Technology & Design, Singapore 
  • RIE, O’Pon on the Hill, Yogyakarta University of Technology, Sleman, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, Indonesia
  • Sejkul, Drive-In Airport 2100 – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Architecture, Ljubljana, Slovenia 
  • Ryerson University, Head in the Clouds, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
  • Marklin Huynh, Istanbul International Airport Asian Terminal, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA 
  • M3DMA, Tokyo Gate – Tokyo International (Haneda) Airport, Gdansk University of Technology, Gdańsk, Poland 
  • Oporajeyo, The City Lungs – Indira Gandhi International Airport, North South University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

The shortlist will be judged virtually by a jury of renowned airport architects, directors, planners, and scholars. Winners will be announced in October.

Download photos for each shortlisted submission here: https://fentressarchitects.sharefile.com/d-s1951dc06fc2439bb.

Download the 2020 press kit here: https://fentressarchitects.sharefile.com/share/view/sa8e559d0df6464ab.

Johnson County Courthouse Celebrates Substantial Completion Milestone

Posted on by Jessica del Pilar

Global architectural design firm Fentress Architects and Johnson County Board of Commissioners recently announced the substantial completion for the new Johnson County Courthouse, prominently located at 150 W. Santa Fe St. in downtown Olathe, Kansas.

The seven-story, 356,831-square-foot courthouse, designed by Fentress Architects in a partnership with Treanor HL, and constructed by JE Dunn Construction, replaces the aging, overcrowded existing courthouse by consolidating the Tenth Judicial District Court, District Attorney and supporting spaces into a distinctive civic building. The new state-of-the-art facility includes 28 courtrooms, flexible space for six additional courtrooms and supporting functions including a Law Library, Court Administration, Court Clerk, Help Center, Court Trustee, Justice Information Management, Sheriff’s Office and other services necessary to serve all judicial and administrative needs for the Johnson County community.

“This milestone represents a significant accomplishment in realizing Johnson County’s vision for a more efficient, community-oriented and forward-thinking courthouse,” said Brian Chaffee, FAIA, Principal at Fentress Architects. “The courthouse’s design celebrates Johnson County’s historical roots while embodying its innovative vision with a memorable structure that will serve as a longstanding commitment to the community. We are looking forward to continue working with the County, Treanor HL and JE Dunn Construction as we realize the project’s final completion.”   

Designed to USGBC LEED Gold with principles as delineated by the WELL Building Institute, the new courthouse will serve Johnson County for the next 75 years, accommodate the expected growth of 10,000 residents per year and fulfill the County’s goal to reduce energy by 30 percent. The open and accessible design harmonizes with traditional federal architectural features to create an approachable, yet efficient facility that reflects the importance of justice and the Rule of Law.

Inspired by materials and forms found in Kansas geology and history, the courthouse’s prominent façade features a limestone-clad ribbon wall above the main entry, creating both a sense of place and a welcoming entrance. The “Emporium of Justice” serves as the courthouse’s main lobby where visitors enter and pass through security. An expansive glass curtainwall and punched windows advance the transparency in government functions. Additional features including terrazzo floors, glass handrails, acoustical plaster ceilings and custom millwork contribute to the courthouse’s durability and monumental image.

“The new courthouse creates a functional, accessible, safe and secure facility that will serve the long-term needs of the Johnson County community,” said Daniel Wehmueller, Project Manager at Johnson County. The building’s distinct design has already become a Johnson County landmark. We couldn’t be happier with the project team’s innovative and creative approach that has helped the County bring this vision to life.”

Public art funded by Johnson County’s Public Art Program creates an engaging, one-of-a-kind courthouse experience. “Open Prairie,” a public art piece installed by Los Angeles-based Ball-Nogues studio, integrates seamlessly into the building’s design and creates a network of vibrant colors as visitors enter the courthouse. Additionally, Goddess of Justice has been relocated from the existing courthouse to the new facility.

In addition to the new Johnson County Courthouse, the project team developed the north parking lot. To create a resilient amenity for the community, the project team will transform the existing courthouse site into a new greenspace for the community.

The team is currently installing systems and ancillary furniture, which will continue through November. Johnson County staff will begin occupying the courthouse in September, and the building is intended to open to the public in the first quarter of 2021.

Curtis Fentress Earns Honorary Doctorate from NC State

Posted on by Jessica del Pilar

Curtis Fentress, Founder and Principal in Charge of Design for Fentress Architects, was conferred with an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from North Carolina State University on December 18, 2019, at the fall commencement ceremony.

“The Airport Studio has drastically expanded our College’s studio offerings in monumentality, scale, symbolism, and technical challenge. Students are encouraged to consider the poetic and technical issues as informing each other.”

— Wayne Place, Ph.D., M.Arch., P.E., Professor of Architecture, College of Design, NC State University

Honorary degrees represent NC State’s highest recognition of outstanding and distinguished contributions to scholarship, creativity, leadership, and humanitarian or public service, and recognize individuals whose achievements are extraordinary and have lasting distinction. The Board of Trustees makes the selection of honorary degree recipients from nominations submitted to and recommended by the Faculty Committee on Honorary Degrees. They are awarded to individuals who may or may not have an existing association with the university.

Fentress was born in North Carolina and raised on a tobacco farm in the small town of Summerfield. He graduated with honors from NC State’s College of Design in 1972 with a Bachelor of Architecture. During his time as a student at NCSU, Curt 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. Other awards and accolades followed: he was recognized with a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2010, became a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1996, and in 2010, he was honored with the AIA’s highest award for public architecture—the Thomas Jefferson Award for Public Architecture. This accolade recognizes architects who design distinguished public facilities and advocate for design excellence.

After graduation in 1972, Fentress joined the reputable firm of I.M. Pei and Partners in New York City; and in 1977 he joined the newly-formed firm of Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), also of New York. While at KPF, he was honored with Building Design and Construction magazine’s “Young Professional of the Year” award as project designer for the Amoco Building in Denver, Colorado. Intrigued by opportunities in the west, in 1981 Curt formed C.W. Fentress and Associates in Denver, where he infused modernist design with sensitivity to place.

Today, Curt has built an international, multicultural practice and directed the design of 93.6 million square feet of public space that welcomes, hosts and guides over 650 million people annually. Fentress has also won over 50 national and international design competitions. Over the past 40 years, Fentress has played pivotal roles in nearly all of the firm’s projects including Denver International Airport, Incheon International Airport in Seoul, National Museum of Wildlife Art, National Museum of the Marine Corps, Raleigh-Durham Terminal 2, the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX, and numerous others.  

Throughout his career, Fentress has remained dedicated to the advancement of architecture at NC State by investing time, mentorship, and personal resources to support its mission and its many students. His affinity and passion for teaching students of architecture led to the North Carolina State University Airport Studio. This advanced graduate studio program gives students an opportunity to imagine new and innovative solutions for airports of today and the future by focusing on how design principles serve the public realm. The Airport Studio has drastically expanded the College’s studio offerings in terms of scale, monumentality, symbolism and technical challenge.

Fentress’s studio work was presented as part of the Symposium on Airport Design at the 2016 Venice Architectural Biennale, which led the European Cultural Center (ECC) to invite the College of Design to mount a major exhibit of Airport Studio work as part of the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale. Its exhibit, “Future Airports: Global Design Thinking,” received the ECC’s Best Architecture University Award 2018 for contributing to the research and highlighting the significance of airport space and the value of the experiential journey.

On December 20, 2019, Fentress delivered the commencement address to the graduates of the College of Design. Not knowing exactly what the students would face in a few short months with the global COVID-19 pandemic, in his commencement address he urged students to, “…keep your youthful optimism for innovation and creativity as you begin your quest to make the world a better place. Unleash your collective and creative talents to find solutions to the world’s problems that are facing you.” This is a task for which he is convinced they are prepared.

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