DENVER, CO.- The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has honored Curtis Fentress, FAIA, RIBA, of Fentress Architects with the Silver Medal, the highest award for an architect in the Western Mountain Region. The Silver Medal “recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the Institute, the design profession and the citizens of the Western Mountain Region, their community, and who has transcended local boundaries.” Earlier this year, Fentress became the first in this region to be awarded the AIA Thomas Jefferson Award, the highest honor for public architecture. Only seven private-sector architects worldwide received the Thomas Jefferson Award before him. Fentress’ design portfolio has been honored with more than 350 awards and accolades for innovation and design excellence, including 80 AIA awards, and featured in over 3,000 regional, national and international articles, books and television newscasts.

Redefining Public Architecture
From his North Carolina roots on Tobacco Road to cities worldwide, Fentress’ relentless pursuit to humanize public architecture has touched the 300 million people who visit his buildings each year. A graduate with honors from North Carolina State University, he first was awarded the Alpha Rho Chi Medal, the highest honor bestowed on a designer by an architectural school. Fentress began his career as an architect first with I.M. Pei and Kohn Pedersen Fox in New York City. In 1980 he was recognized again as an architectural leader with the “Young Professional of the Year” award by Building Design + Construction magazine. He founded his own firm later that year.

Throughout 40 years of practice and $26 billion of architecture, Fentress has been guided by his eight Touchstones of Design, principles fundamental to enduring public buildings. These were published in Touchstones of Design: [re]defining public architecture by Images Publishing in June 2010, available in book stores worldwide.

World’s Best Airports
Curtis Fentress is internationally known for designing some of the “world’s best” airport terminals in Seoul, South Korea, and Denver. His award-winning portfolioincludes airports, national museums, courthouses, city halls, government centers, convention centers and office towers. Fentress has designed 14 high-rises in the Middle East including Arraya Tower, the world’s fourth tallest building completed in 2009. Current projects include the Colorado Judicial Center, San Diego Convention Center Expansion, and Los Angeles International Airport modernization.