Category: Honors + Awards

Building Design+Construction Ranks Fentress Architects Among Nation’s Top Architecture Firms

Posted on by Jessica del Pilar

#5 Convention Centers + Conference Centers

#8 Airport Terminal

#10 Museums

Fentress Architects has ranked as one of the top architecture firms in Building Design + Construction Magazine’s 2020 Giants 400 Report. Internationally known for innovative, award-winning design of diverse building types—including airports, museums, convention centers, civic and government buildings, laboratories, and higher education facilities—Fentress ranked #36 on the Top 155 Architecture Firms list, progressing nine places from its 2019 ranking at #45.

In addition to the firm’s recognition as one of the Top Architecture Firms for 2020, Fentress, whose portfolio features over 40 convention center designs including the recently completed LEED Silver Miami Beach Convention Center, is ranked #5 in the Convention Centers / Conference Centers sector. With over $23.8 Billion and 115 Million square feet in aviation projects, the firm is ranked #8 in the Airport Terminal sector. Fentress also landed #22 in the overall Cultural Facilities sector, #10 in the Museums and Galleries category, #63 in the Office – Buildings / Core+Shell sector, and #98 in Office – All Building Work.

“We are proud that our firm was recognized for our continuous efforts to elevate design excellence in public architecture,” said Fentress Architects Principal in Charge of Design Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA. “Our ability to drive growth throughout the industry reflects our team’s unwavering commitment to innovation, along with the collaborative efforts of our clients and project partners.”

Miami Beach Convention Center. Photo: ©Tom Clark

Over the past year, Fentress’ projects achieved major milestones including the completion of four world-class projects: the new Johnson County Courthouse in Olathe, KS; the new Concourse D and Terminal Wings at Nashville International Airport® in Nashville, TN, which also became one of only five airport facilities in the US to achieve LEED v4 Silver certification; the Terminal Balancing and Concourse E Extension at Portland International Airport in Portland, OR; the Denver Art Museum North Building Renovation and Anna and John J. Sie Welcome Center in Denver, CO; and the Miami Beach Convention Center Expansion and Renovation in Miami Beach, FL, which also achieved LEED Silver certification.

Denver International Airport Passenger Terminal Complex. Credit © Ellen Jaskol

As a testament to Fentress’ recognition, the firm garnered 16 awards for design excellence and innovation in 2020 alone, including the American Institute of Architecture (AIA) Colorado’s Twenty-Five Year Award for the Denver International Airport as well as the AIA Western Mountain Region’s Twenty-Five Year Award for the Clark County Government Center. The Miami Beach Convention Center landed a Silver Award in the Façade category of the 2020 World Architecture News (WAN) Awards and a 2020 BEST Award in the Serve category from the International Design Association’s (IIDA) Rocky Mountain Chapter.

Rendering of the Royal Norwegian Embassy Chancery Renovation. 

Positioned for a strong 2021, Fentress is anticipating the upcoming completion of the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Nashville, TN as well as the Royal Norwegian Embassy Chancery Renovation in Washington, DC. Additionally, the firm is working on the new South Terminal C at Orlando International Airport, the Terminal Lobby and International Arrivals Facility at Nashville International Airport, the new Mickey Leland International Terminal at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, the U.S. Courthouse Huntsville, Alabama, and the National Museum of Intelligence and Special Operations—just to name a few.

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).

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.

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

Posted on by Jessica del Pilar

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.

Curtis Fentress Earns Honorary Doctorate from NC State

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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.

Fentress Architects’ Denver International Airport Passenger Terminal Lands AIA Colorado’s 25-Year Award

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“Few projects have been as iconic or meaningful to a city as the Denver International Airport.”

— 2020 Honor Awards Jury

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Colorado chapter selected the Denver International Airport (DEN) Passenger Terminal as the recipient of the 2020 Twenty-five Year Award. As one of the most prestigious honors in Colorado’s built environment, the award is presented annually to a project that has “significantly influenced design and lifestyle in Colorado” and features a “timeless and enduring design that has created a sense of place” for at least 25 years.

“Our vision for DEN’s Passenger Terminal was to create a memorable design – a gateway to Colorado and the West,” said Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA, Principal in Charge of Design at Fentress Architects. “Twenty-five years later, the design continues to transcend time and is known around the world. I would like to thank AIA Colorado Honor Awards Jury, the entire project team, and my former partner Jim Bradburn.”

Creating a Memorable Symbol 

Completed in 1995, Fentress’ design for DEN’s Jeppesen Terminal stimulated a paradigm shift in the way architects and the public perceive airport design. Previously, airports were conceived as ‘people processors’ – nondescript warehouses comprised of low ceilings and dim lighting. Fentress sought to change this notion by creating an airport that serves as a symbol of Denver and a gateway welcoming all to Colorado and the West; architecture as memorable as it was functional.

“Few projects have been as iconic or as meaningful to a city as the Denver International Airport,” said the 2020 Honor Awards Jury at the AIA Colorado Design and Honor Awards Ceremony on August 17. “This project is known nationally and internationally and has beautifully withstood the test of time. This project is a no-brainer for a Twenty-five Year Award. Its timeless design has become an architectural icon for the City of Denver.”

To create a significant airport, the terminal’s design embodies forms and materials native to the Rocky Mountain region. Peaked roof forms rise 130 to 150 feet, evoking a sense that one has stepped onto the snowcapped mountains that inspired the architecture. The context-driven design signified the first time an airport became a timeless icon of a region through expressive forms and has inspired the architecture of hundreds of airports worldwide.

Driving Innovation

DEN’s design set a new standard in innovation. With a deadline of only three weeks to create a new terminal concept, the design team reimagined the terminal archetype by relocating the building’s mechanical system from the roof to underground and designed the world’s largest structurally integrated, Teflon-coated tensile-membrane roof at the time of completion.

“At the time we designed the terminal, we took many risks,” said Curtis Fentress. “A lot of creative decisions we made had not been done before on such a massive scale. To all the young architects, don’t be afraid to push the limits to create great architecture.”

As one of the world’s largest daylit structures, DEN’s design showcases the first time permanent skylights were integrated into a roof form with tensile membrane fabric. Skylights atop the eight tallest masts reach up to 150 feet, allowing sunlight into the building to enliven the space. To fasten the roof’s fabric to the glass building structure, the design team developed the first “sausage connection” – a pliable two-foot diameter vinyl tubular section – which allows the structure to safely move up to 30 inches during dynamic roof movement without affecting the glass walls.

Design that Stands the Test of Time

Over the last 25 years, DEN’s Jeppesen Terminal has inspired the region’s built environment, establishing a precedent for architecture to create a sense of place while providing a sustainable and enduring commitment to both Coloradans and visitors. Today, the terminal continues to stand as a memorable gateway to the West and an enduring symbol of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains.

DEN is consistently voted as one of the most efficient and significant airports worldwide, including its ranking as one of the “Best Airports in 2020” by Skytrax World Airport Awards and the “Best of the Biggest U.S. Airports” by Wall Street Journal in 2018.

IPI Awards SJC Interim Facility Project Team with Diamond Partnering Level Award

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Construction collaboration to build SJC’s Interim Facility wins international honors

SAN JOSE, CA—Mineta San José International Airport (SJC), Hensel Phelps (HP), Fentress Architects, Southwest Airlines and OrgMetrics LLC together won the International Partnering Institute’s (IPI) distinguished Diamond Partnering Level Award for their construction collaboration in building SJC’s Interim Facility in Terminal B. IPI honors organizations and individuals who have worked to make the construction industry more collaborative for a successful outcome.

SJC’s Interim Facility was built as a temporary solution to accommodate SJC’s rapid passenger growth over the past four years. Six additional gates were added in this temporary facility to meet Silicon Valley’s ongoing demand for travel at SJC. Additionally, the Interim Facility is intended to serve passengers until the Airport’s future expansion of a new terminal is realized, as a part of the Airport’s Updated Master Plan.

Planning for the Interim Facility Project began in early 2018, with a fast-paced schedule to open four gates as soon as feasible. Roughly four months into planning, Airport officials saw an opportunity to fund two additional gates, resulting in a total of six new gates housed in the interim facility – all planned, designed, built, and operational in under a year.

“The success of this very aggressive 11-month timeline is credited to the partnership and shared vision of our partners and stakeholders,” said John Aitken, SJC Director of Aviation. “We are grateful to our Airline and Construction partners who provided strong teams to work with us in San Jose, and also to IPI for recognizing the value of this collaboration. While the new space succeeded in meeting our need at the time during daily record-breaking passenger growth, it now also offers us added flexibility to accommodate new realities such as social distancing.”

OrgMetrics LLC, a professional partnering facilitator, successfully guided the team through each phase of the construction project. With regular partnering sessions and a highly performing team, the first five gates opened in June 2019, while the final gate opened in time for the busy holiday traffic in November 2019.

In addition to the six additional gates, the $58 million Interim Facility provides more concessions space, additional restrooms, and allows for more flight scheduling flexibility for airlines to support current airport operations and future growth.

HP served as the primary construction contractor for the Interim Facility, while Fentress Architects provided the design of the building. Currently, all six gates in the Interim Facility are operated by Southwest Airlines.

Source: Mineta San Jose International Airport

Steve White Elevated to AIA College of Fellows

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White’s Numerous Achievements Garner Him Recognition from the AIA

Fentress Architects is proud to announce Steve White has been elevated to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Fellows in recognition of the meaningful contributions he has made over the past 25 years to the architectural profession in the transformation of historically significant buildings and sites for contemporary uses. Only three percent of all AIA members hold the title of Fellow, which is conferred annually to a select group of leaders through a competitive jury process. Steve will be honored and bestowed with a Fellowship Medal at the AIA National Convention to be held during May 2020 in Los Angeles.

Since 2014, Steve has served as Director of the DC Office of Fentress, a position to which he brings more than 25 years of experience designing contextually-responsive, urban infill projects. He practices with a deep commitment to collaboration and design excellence. Steve’s portfolio is replete with prestigious commissions and repeat clients including the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington, DC; the renovation and expansion to the East Building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC; the Finance Street Office Building in Beijing, China; the new Huntsville, Alabama U.S. Courthouse for the GSA, the Morehead Cain Foundation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the new National Museum of Intelligence and Special Operations in northern Virginia. Steve’s commitment to collaboration and excellence has also engendered the trust and respect of colleagues resulting in appointments to serve as a National Peer for the GSA National Register of Peer Professionals, a certified expert witness for the DC Board of Zoning Adjustment, and the 2015 President of the Washington DC Chapter of the AIA. 

Congratulations to Steve! To learn about the AIA Fellows Program, read more here.

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