Populous has acquired Denver-based Fentress Architects, which will rebrand as Fentress Studios, a Populous Company, with the studios continuing to be based in Denver and Washington DC.
Fentress Architects’ background
Founded in 1980, Fentress Architects has designed more than US$52bn of architectural landmarks worldwide, including Denver International Airport, Incheon International Airport, Miami Beach Convention Center and the National Museum of the Marine Corps.
Curtis Fentress, founder and principal in charge of design at Fentress Architects, commented, “Populous shares our values of design excellence and people-centric thinking. Together, we will continue to redefine great architecture and its capacity to ignite social and economic change through inspired design for people.”
Populous’ goals
Bruce Miller, global chair and CEO of Populous, commented, “We are committed to expanding the breadth of our practice. Fentress Architects has long been known for its visionary aviation and public architecture, exceptional design quality and commitment to innovation. Uniting our aviation team with Fentress to form Fentress Studios, a Populous Company, symbolizes our dedication to design quality.
“Adding Fentress’s expertise and client base to the Populous global aviation and transportation portfolio, as well as synergies across convention center design, will enable us to transform the future of people-centric design and supercharge our global impact in those sectors.”
In related news, the final phase of the refurbished Kansai International Airport (KIX) Terminal 1 opened on March 27, 2025. Kansai Airports and global design firm Populous worked for more than seven years to completely reimagine the airport’s floor plan, bringing a new level of efficiency and experience for travelers to Japan’s west. Read the full story here