Curtis Fentress, FAIA
Photo © Jason A. Knowles/Fentress Architects

Curtis Fentress, FAIA, has received this year’s AIA Thomas Jefferson Award, which recognizes architects who have made significant contributions to the public realm.

Fentress, founding principal of the 30-year-old Fentress Architects, has designed more than a dozen airport projects, including the Denver International Airport in Colorado and the Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea. Most recently, he developed a modernization scheme for the Los Angeles International Airport—a $1.5-billion project that broke ground in February.

In addition to his airport work, Fentress has designed museums, convention centers, and courthouses, among other building types. Moreover, he authored the recently released book, Touchstones of Design: (re)defining public architecture