Hensel Phelps
The design-build project with Fentress Architects showcases a new airwave roof extending from the terminal garage to the …
Market: Aviation + Transport
Sustainable Strategies for Expansive Facilities
Fentress’s portfolio is valued at over $43 billion and serves more than 650 million people annually.
Strategies of waste reduction, recycled content maximization and conservation are consistent regardless of the scale of the project. However, there are a few consistent strategies to consider when designing expansive facilities:
- Harnessing daylight to minimize energy use and control heat gain.
- Integrating with the community and multimodal transportation networks.
- Creating spaces and systems that will welcome future adaptations.
The following projects illustrate these strategies:
Passenger Terminal Complex at Denver International Airport
Fentress’ entree into expansive facilities came with the commission to design the 2,250,000-square-foot Passenger Terminal Complex at Denver International Airport. Fentress took over a project suffering from uninspired design, exorbitant cost and schedule overruns. The solution to reverse these incontestabilities was the creation of a light-filled volume to echo Colorado’s dramatic mountain scenery. Despite skepticism on the ability of a tensile structure—then a nascent building technology—to achieve the necessary spans and withstand area snow volume, Fentress countered precedent and flipped the airport’s massive infrastructure from the roof to underground. The shift allowed up to 150-foot light-filled roof peaks to come to life while conserving resources. Hundreds of tons of structural steel and building materials were eliminated. The design also powerfully harnessed natural light. The Denver airport dramatically changed contemporary ideas on airport design, introducing expressive form to welcome travelers to a place and its culture.
Colorado Convention Center Phase II
In 2010, the Colorado Convention Center (CCC) announced its certification through LEED–EB, making it—at 2,300,980 gross square feet—the largest convention center certified under LEED-EB to date and among the largest LEED-certified convention facilities in the US. As Denver residents, Fentress Architects recognized the Center’s potential to reshape the city. So, the focus was on establishing and reinforcing its connections with the urban surroundings. The integration of a light rail station within the building has advanced economic growth and revitalization initiatives for the once-barren 14th Street. Fentress’ work catalyzed a surge of infill development that continues to bring new life, investment and activity to Denver.
Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX
At 1.4-million square feet, Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX became the world’s largest LEED Gold certified airport when it opened in 2013. Adding to the complexity of this immense facility is the fact that renovation and construction occurred while the terminal remained fully operational. Fentress’ state-of-the-art, people-centered design allows abundant natural light from clerestories and broad windows. Environmentally-friendly concepts were integrated at every stage and every level of the project.
Operational and performance goals of improved energy performance, reduced water consumption, waste, and emissions were met, in part, through integrated strategies that aligned with the larger aesthetic and experiential objectives. For example, Fentress conducted extensive sun-shading studies during the design of the roof structure to minimize heat gain and maximize daylighting.
Additional strategies include a high-performance thermal envelope, drought-tolerant landscaping, the provision of a purple pipe infrastructure in anticipation of future availability of municipal-supplied non-potable water, programmed space for recycling, an early procurement program for materials that contain recycled content, specification of non- or low-emitting materials, and the incorporation of free shuttle bus service to provide better connectivity to and from the airport, the city and the region.
Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center
LEED Gold-certified Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center in Denver remains one of the most sustainable courthouse complexes in the United States. It hosts the Colorado Supreme Court Law Library, a visitor’s Learning Center, and a 4,000-square-foot green roof. The granite-clad Neoclassical building respects the archetypal presence of its neighbors. It steps back to acknowledge a center of learning: the Denver Central Library. The design also focused on completing the flow of a pedestrian walkway between the Library and State Capitol. The result is in a direct, physical link to the Center’s functions for users and visitors as they move across the campus. The Carr Judicial Center makes substantial use of durable and recycled materials. It remains 30-percent more energy efficient than standards demanded. In addition to its green roof, sustainable features include a photosensitive daylight harvesting illumination system, a state-of-the-art and highly efficient mechanical system, and locally sourced materials such as marble from Marble, Colorado.
Fentress Architects: Pioneering Sustainable Architecture Since the Early 1990s
Fentress Architects was founded in 1980 on the heels of two significant energy crises. First was the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973 and second was the Iranian Revolution of 1978. Among the many innovations and movements precipitated by these events is the modern sustainable architecture and green building movement. In fact, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Energy Committee was founded in 1973 and AIA Committee on the Environment in 1990.
Sustainability Pioneers
Within 10 years of its founding, Fentress had won several prominent commissions. The following contributed substantively to the sustainable architecture movement:
- Denver International Airport’s Passenger Terminal Complex. The imaginative roof pays visual homage to the majestic Rocky Mountains. It also utilizes the site’s more than 3,000 annual hours of sunshine to provide exceptional energy savings. The sunshine is also a biophilic benefit for travelers and staff alike.
- Natural Resources Building for the State of Washington. The Natural Resource Building was a forerunner in the development of indoor air quality standards. Likewise, it contributed to the foundation of the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED program. “The facilities will provide the public and employees an enjoyable, energy efficient and healthy work environment using new air quality design requirements, which will lead the way for future standards in our nation.” — K. Wendy Holden, Former Director, State of Washington Department of GSA
- National Wildlife Art Museum. Irregular lines and the use of native stone allow the museum to embody the spirit of its delicate site and essence of the Jackson community. The building also set new standards in quality and architectural design sensitivity for the area. The warm, humanistic design expertly responds to important challenges. These challenges include developmental pressures and their impact on the natural environment and plant and animal communities.
LEED Firsts
Since the launch of USGBC’s LEED Program in 1998, Fentress Architects has designed over 50 LEED-certified buildings that comprise nearly 10 million square feet, including:
- California Department of Education Headquarters. In 2006, three years after achieving LEED Gold, the California DOE Headquarters became the first building in California, and second largest building in the world, to be awarded LEED EB Platinum certification.
- Green Square Complex in Raleigh, North Carolina. With a 10,000-square-foot green roof, a system that eliminates stormwater runoff—North Carolina’s number one cause of water pollution—and so much more, Green Square Complex became North Carolina’s first LEED Platinum facility.
- Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC). Terminal B was the first entirely new passenger terminal west of the Mississippi River to become LEED Silver Certified. Terminal A is “self-certified.” The rental car facility, or ConRAC, follwed “best practices” for green building, including a roof-mounted 3.4-acre, 1.1-megawatt solar array.
- Terminal C at Orlando International Airport (MCO). Terminal C is on target to become the first new LEED v4.1 certified passenger terminal in America.
Looking Ahead
At Fentress Architects, we believe we have a responsibility to future generations to effect positive change on our natural environment. So, in addition to being seasoned LEED-certification experts, Fentress team members are also highly skilled and knowledge in the burgeoning areas of:
- Net Zero Architecture: including net zero energy, net zero carbon.
- Regenerative Design: including ILFI’s Living Building Challenge
- Sustainable Landscape Practices: including Green Business Certification Inc.’s Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES)
SEA North Satellite Concourse
ICN Passenger Terminal
World-Class Design for MCO’s New Terminal C
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the gateway to Central Florida’s thriving business community, theme parks including the Walt Disney World Resort, miles of spectacular beaches and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
Terminal C will introduce the next generation of The Orlando Experience®. Terminal C builds upon the established MCO aesthetic of air, water and sky. It includes a seamless, low-touch environment that offers an exciting combination of concessions, interactive media displays and iconic architecture. Upon opening, Terminal C will serve up to 12 million passengers annually. It will also feature a new Federal Inspection Service (FIS) facility as well as 15 new gates (accommodating up to 20 aircraft). Amenities will include a nursing station and pet relief areas. At full build out, Terminal C can increase capacity at MCO up to 60 million passengers annually.
“This summer MCO will debut the new Terminal C, which is designed to support growing passenger volume and reinforce the airport’s reputation for excellence in traveller satisfaction,” said Curtis Fentress, FAIA Principal in Charge of Design with design architect Fentress Architects.
Elevating The Orlando Experience® with Iconic Architecture
Design architect Fentress Architects, together with HNTB as architect of record, designed Terminal C to be an iconic gateway to the entire region.
“An airport should be reflective of the environment and region it serves as well as meet the needs of its passengers. For Orlando, that means architecturally identifying with subtropical vegetation and wildlife as well as numerous world-classattractions. It also means understanding a very diverse passenger profile; each with their own unique expectations of the Orlando Experience. Terminal C will offer passengers the best in technology and operations, and also a very friendly, hospitable environment,” said Fentress.
Among the terminal’s signature architectural elements is The Prow. It sets an uplifting tone at curbside, especially when seen against a dramatic Florida sky. Ambient natural light will flow in from this curbside curtainwall, as well as from the Terminal’s skylit spine. This will help bring the outdoors in and guides passengers to world-class amenities and onto their gate.
“Innovation and sophisticated design that reflects elements of the Central Florida community combine to deliver a world-class travel experience,” says Kevin Thibault, CEO, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. “Terminal C will be so much more than a transfer point from one place to another. It will serve as a multimodal memorable entryway for passengers visiting, living and working in the region.”
All major building elements—ticketing, security, concessions, gates and baggage claim—will be aligned along a Boulevard. This will lead passengers on a linear journey. A Grand Skylight that introduces dappled daylight and supports lush foliage will adorn this Boulevard.
“The tinted glass panels of the Grand Skylight dapple and diffuse sunlight, which creates an effect reminiscent of light coming through Orlando’s historic orange groves,” said Fentress.
The Boulevard will also connect Terminal C’s two signature civic spaces—Palm Court and Town Square—with the MCO’s Intermodal Terminal Facility. The Facility supports up to four rail systems, including Brightline’s inter-city service. Palm Court is located airside, at the terminus of the Boulevard skylight. It is the grandest of Terminal C’s civic spaces. As such, this vibrant location will feature shopping, experiential media, dining, socializing and relaxation lounges in a daylit, garden-like atmosphere. The design of second-story retail and lofted airline clubs means they will overlook Palm Court and its experiential media element, which will feature an interactive exploration of Orlando’s various destinations.
Meanwhile, Town Square is located landside, at the terminus of an elevated international arrivals corridor. This light-filled, spacious arrivals hall on the terminal’s upper-most level will provide a stark contrast to the buried baggage claims found in so many other airports. It is imbued with a sense of welcoming and openness to enhance the international and domestic passenger experience.
© Fentress Architects
Uplifting Experiences: Arrival & Departure
With the help of recently developed baggage conveyance technology, Terminal C will reverse the traditional paradigm of arrivals on the lower level and departures on the upper level. Passengers arriving—often from long flights—will be directed to a unique and uplifting experience: the upper-most level of the terminal. Awash in filtered Central Florida sunlight with majestic views of the local natural environment, this immediate and immersive experience will at once orient travelers to both Orlando and the United States. Easy access to restrooms and concessions, in a pleasant environment, will further cater to travelers innate needs.
Departing travelers will have a similarly pleasant experience. Flexibility is the intention for everything from intuitive parking and drop-off areas to a new ticketing hall. Additionally, they are outfitted with kiosks and outstanding customer service representatives. Security will be similarly intuitive, orderly and responsive.
Interactive Media
An Experiential Media Environment (EME) has been seamlessly integrated into the terminal’s architecture. All three EME elements specifically serve to celebrate the region’s dynamic identity. They also highlight for visitors the robust offerings of Central Florida’s natual and developed attractions.
- Moment Vault, located in Palm Court, offers departing passengers a 360-degree immersive experience. The Vault combines silhouettes gathered from strategically placed cameras located throughout the space with striking video footage from local points of interest. Highlights in the 23 capsules that run 109 minutes include underwater play in deep blue springs with a school of bioluminescent fish and an excursion to the surface of Mars where red rocks have a life of their own.
- The Portal, located in Town Square (also known as the arrivals hall), rises three-stories high. 32 custom curved screens suspended in a helical frame comprise the feature. Synchronized content plays on both interior and exterior screens, offering 26 capsules that run 125 minutes and tell a visual story of the transformation of Central Florida from natural springs and ranchlands to the dawn of Disney, the launch into space exploration and a bounty of entertainment opportunities.
- Windows on Orlando, located along the airside concourse, is a 100-foot-long, 32-foot-tall display comprised of three adjacent, panoramic screens. Select Central Florida locations were captured in 20 capsules that run 79 minutes. Highlights include a rocket launch sequence filmed from the NASA Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center and an afternoon ride under open skies to round up cattle with cowhands at the Deseret Ranch in St. Cloud.
Hi-Tech, Low Touch
An increasingly touchless experience will bolster international and domestic passenger growth at MCO. Touchpoints, also known as points of contact or interaction, occur at check-in, security, concessions, boarding, customs and more. These have long been hallmarks of the passenger experience. That said, over the past few decades, airport planners and designers have helped lessen the time spent at touchpoints. In doing so, they have made the airport experience both more efficient and pleasant.
Terminal C has the design of a linear/pier configuration. This minimizes transit times for departing passengers to an average of eleven minutes. Additionally, Terminal C will engage a variety of biometric devices including:
- 100-percent automated screening lanes in TSA checkpoint.
- 100-percent facial recognition at all 15 gates for international arrival and departures.
Sustainable Design
Terminal C will be as sustainable as possible thanks to a long list of design strategies. Strategies include the deployment of reduced water-consumption and irrigation systems, responsive lighting and temperature control systems. Also involved are solar panels, non-toxic adhesives and non-painted natural materials. Together, these and other strategies are likely to support an award of Silver or Gold LEED Certification by the US Green Building Council. If awarded, Terminal C will be the first LEED®v4 airport campus of any level in the world.
Fentress Global Challenge 2021 Winners
Winners Announced in 2021: Airport of the Future, Student Design Competition
Fentress Architects is excited to announce the winners of Fentress Global Challenge (FGC) 2021: Airport of the Future, which garnered over 80 entries from students around the globe. This year’s competition challenged students to envision airport mobility in the year 2100. The winning entries reflect the radical innovation, quality and curiosity required to advance airport terminal design.
Carmina Ferreras and Oluwarotimi Osiberu
1ST PLACE with a US$15,000 cash prize & PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD 1 with a US$1,000 cash prize
Ferreras and Osiberu are third-year Master of Architecture students at North Carolina State University. Ferreras is a former high school math teather interested in connecting communities through advancements in technology and sustainability. Oluwarotimi came to United States in 2009 from Nigeria, Africa and is interested in spaces that foster healthy communities. Their entry imagines a new airport in Yokohama, Japan to help alleviate congestion at Tokyo International Airport. The new hub is designed to serve hypersonic, subsonic, and VTOL flights that will access the furthest corners of the earth. As a multimodal modal facility, it also incorporates rail systems and boats to fully link land, sea, and air. Concourses feature vast, traditional gardens and views to marine wildlife. Walkthough security and facial recognition scan passengers to create a seamless airport experience. An internal tram system helps move passengers and also offers views of gardens and nearby Mt. Fuji.
Liyang Wang
2ND PLACE with a US$3,000 cash prize
Wang, a student at the Yale School of Architecture, imagined an airport located on the northern corner of Atafu, Tokelau. It utilizes a series of sun powered runways that move to accommodate airplane operations. The airport also helps grow and then transplant coral from a nursery to reefs below. Travelers can take part in observing the process, which will subsequently help cultivate climate awareness.
Tan Gee Yang
3RD PLACE with a US$2,000 cash prize
Yang, a student at Singapore University of Technology and Design, chose Singapore Changi Airport as the site. This entry envisions a reconfigureable and dynamic airport that uses data and machine learning to reconfigure itself in response to demand. Passengers, such as business travelers or vacationing families, would have routes in unique directions to fit their specific needs. Reconfigurable pods would accommodate new retail experiences, attractions, and rest areas.
Assem Attia
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD 2 with a US$1,000 cash prize
Assem, a student at University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy in Sofia, Bulgaria garnered the most votes on Facebook with an entry that is shaped as Voronoi cells using parametric design. Buildings have trees integrated and planes land and take off vertically from a platform.
At a time when infrastructure is of utmost importantance to so many communities, FGC affirms that the next generation of designers are capable of envisioning both sustainable and user-friendly solutions. Entrants needed to improve upon at least one primary factor influencing airport terminal building design in 2100 such as mobility, urbanization, globalization, technology, flexibility, security, project feasibility, and passenger experience. As for location, entrants were able to choose between siting the new terminal at an existing airfield—such as at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) or Beijing Capital International (PEK)—or on a yet undeveloped site—such as in Atafu, Tokelau or Canillo, Andorra.
“Passion for design and a creative mindset are the cornerstone of any successful design competition” said Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA, Principal in Charge of Design at Fentress Architects. “Each year, the submissions we receive are more innovative, sustainable, and dynamic than the prior year, which reveals an exciting outlook for the future of terminal design.”
The entries were evaluated on five criteria—creative approach and presentation; response to site; sustainability and resiliency; functionality; and innovation and technology—by a a jury of renowned professionals in the field of aviation, which included:
- Blake Scholl, Founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic
- Dan Bartholomew, Airport Director at Aspen/Pitkin County Airport
- Dan Symonds, Editor of Passenger Terminal World
- David Laielli, Senior Technical Architect for Airport Terminal Buildings at AECOM
- Melvin Price, Associate Principal with Jacobs
Seattle Airport’s North Satellite Modernization Project Opens in Conjunction with First Ever Art + Cultural Festival
On November 4, 2021, travelers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) had the opportunity to participate in the airport’s first-ever art and culture-filled festival. Named Experience SEA @ N, it coincided with the opening of SEA’s new N Concourse, also known as the North Satellite Modernization Project. The airport debuted a dedicated performance stage on which artists performed live music, a poetry reading and spoken word. Other festival highlights included art tours, special promotions and samplings from Tundra Taqueria, SEA Roast Coffee House and Filson (opening in December).
“This event celebrates the natural and cultural richness of the Pacific Northwest,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Fred Felleman. “The building embodies our values of creating economic opportunities in an inclusive and environmentally responsible manner.”
The North Satellite Modernization Project elevates the travel experience with the comforts travelers crave. It specifically has more room, more views, and more Pacific Northwest feels. The newly renovated N Concourse features modern amenities as well as seismic upgrades, sustainable features and improved building function. Design Architect Fentress Architects and Architect of Record AECOM with Construction Company Hensel Phelps were responsible for the project.
Curtis Fentress, Principal in Charge of Design at Fentress Architects, said “N Concourse is now emblamatic of the Pacific Northwest, its majestic sights and sounds. Every element of the design works in concert to orient travelers as it greets visitors and welcomes home residents.” Indeed, this bigger, brighter and bolder space betters travelers’ experiences with more dining and retail options, a diverse art collection that reflects the culture, spirit and history of the region, nature inspired design and a brand-new performance stage.
Workers logged more than 2.1 million labor hours to build the facility over four years. It has ten new passenger gates and a spectacular Alaska Airlines Lounge. Also included is the airport’s first system to collect and reuse rainwater. Many built-in amenities make travel effortless for all.
“Hensel Phelps and our trade partners often come together to build complex projects, but the North Satellite Modernization Project was a unique opportunity to not only work through challenging logistics and safety, but to truly change the impression and experience of so many traveling to our area,” said Hensel Phelps Vice President Shannon Gustine. “This is a unique experience, and we are honored to have been a part of such an amazing team effort.”
MUSIC AT SEA
In 2012, SEA introduced live music at the airport. It showcases the diversity of music culture in the Northwest while concurrently bettering the travel experience. Since the program’s launch, musicians have performed a wide range of styles from jazz to blues, folk and acoustic pop.
“Live music has been a part of the SEA scene for many years, but we have never hosted a festival of culture and arts at this scale,” said SEA Managing Director Lance Lyttle. “The debut performances on this stage will be something to remember with three music sets, one spoken word artist and the state’s Poet Laureate. Listen in, lean in and experience SEA.”
Prior to COVID-19, the airport hosted live music seven days a week. Experience SEA @ N was the first-time music filled the terminal since the beginning of the pandemic. It also inaugurated the stage in Marketplace at N, which lies at the heart of N Concourse.
HIGHLIGHTS OF N CONCOURSE
- Iconic building design evokes movement of a naturally meandering river
- 20 gates (8 new and 12 remodeled)
- Ten new installations of museum-quality art, featuring local and nationally-acclaimed artists. Pieces reflect the Pacific Northwest’s diverse environment, culture, spirit, people and history
- Triple the amount of dining and retail with offerings that include Tundra Taqueria, SEA Roast Coffee House, Pike & Pine, Filson and Wendy’s (latter two open December 2021) with more set to open in 2022
- Plugin at every single gate seat
- Toilets use rainwater captured from the roof. This will save 2.8 million gallons of potable water annually, equal to 4.5 Olympic-sized swimming pools
- 76-percent—or 20,000 tons—of construction waste was recycled and thereby diverted from landfills
- Utilization of nearly $21M of recycled materials on the project
- Energy-efficient LED lighting, heating, and cooling methods save approximately 1.7 million kWh annually, which is equal to the annual energy usage of 170 homes
- Out of 1.8 million labor hours expended on the project, minorities performed more than 25-percent (462,000 hours). Apprentices performed over 20-percent (415,000 hours)
- Over 20-percent, or $100M, of construction was spent with small business enterprises. $16.5M of that went to minority- or women-owned businesses.
Airport of the Future 2021
Global Student Competition Shortlist Announced
Fentress Architects is excited to announce the ten shortlisted entries for the 2021 Fentress Global Challenge (FGC), which garnered more than 80 entries from students around the globe. 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.
Students were able to choose between siting the new terminal at an existing airfield—such as at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) or Beijing Capital International (PEK)—and a yet undeveloped site—such as in Atafu, Tokelau or Canillo, Andorra.
Entrants explored various modes of transport, including pods for intra-airport transport. Other methods of inter-airport transport proposed included mag-lev cars, drones, hyperloops, hydrofoils, and air-rails. Additionally, several different types of aircraft were studied including anti-gravity, vertical take off, rockets, and spaceships.
Entries were evaluated based upon five criteria, including technology and sustainability. Some submssions specifically envisoned airports able to create their own biofuel from algae and symbiotic bacteria. Others created floating structures that sought to restore coral reefs and ocean ecosystems. Most designs derived shape and form from biomimicry and parametric equations. Many also incorporated gardens, greenhouses, photovoltaic cells, and wind. Artificial intelligence helped enhance several of functions and addressed issues such as COVID-19 and terrorism. Furthermore, 3D printing and modular structures were two of several new building techniques explored.
The 2021 Shortlist
- AJQ GROUP – Qian Yu, Alexandra Terekhova, Joseph Cook – University of Applied Arts Vienna, Austria
- Urban Travelator – Dinel Meyepa – Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Astra – Jonathan Liang, Martin He – Columbia University, New York City, USA
- Decentralized Airport – Tam Dinh – University of Architecture Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Ferreras + Osiberu – Carmina Ferreras, Oluwarotimi Osiberu – North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Adaptive Antifragile – Gee Yang Tan – Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore
- The Future Cell – Assem Attia – UACEG, Sofia, Bulgaria
- AILY – Liyang Wang – Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Synergistic Airport – Baoqi Xiao – University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- The Heathrow Hive – Jack Hastie – University Collge London, UK
A jury of renowned airport architects, directors, planners, and scholars will judge the shortlist virtually. Winners will be announced December 1, 2021. First, Second, and Third Place will recieve a total of $20,000 USD in cash prizes. Additionally, two People’s Choice Awards will be given, which carry a $1,000 USD cash prize, Voting for People’s Choice has already begun on the Fentress Architects Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/FentressArch/.
AIA Western Mountain Region Recognizes Fentress Architects
25-Year Award for Denver International Airport’s Passenger Terminal Complex and the Special Recognition Award for Miami Beach Convention Center
The 2021 American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Western Mountain Region (WMR) Design Awards were presented last Thursday, October 1 at the annual AIA WMR Summit, which was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
2021 AIA Western Mountain Region Twenty-Five Year Award: Denver International Airport (DEN) Passenger Terminal
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Western Mountain Region selected the Denver International Airport (DEN) Passenger Terminal as the recipient of the 2021 Twenty-Five Year Award. As one of the most prestigious honors for 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.”
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 is functional.
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 building’s architecture. This context-driven design marks the first time an airport became a timeless icon of a region through expressive forms. It inspired the architecture of hundreds of airports worldwide.
2021 AIA Western Mountain Region Special Recognition Award: Miami Beach Convention Center
Miami Beach Convention Center won the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Special Recognition Award for 2021. Located in the heart of the city, the 1950’s-era Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) needed a transformation befitting its reputation as a world-class entertainment destination. The venue has become renown for hosting preeminent annual events including Art Basel and eMERGE Americas. The Fentress team, together with Arquitectonica, mined the surrounding culture and context to create a design that is quintessentially South Florida, and has 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 undulating ocean waves, exterior façade “fins”—angled aluminum linear forms—filter light to create a dappled effect within the building’s daylit lobbies and pre-function spaces. This provides visitors with a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor environments. Contextual inspiration was brought inside with colors and patterns that emulate receding water, sea foam, and local coral reef patterns.