Speaker Biograghy: Curtis founded Fentress Architects in 1980 with a desire to focus on large public architecture. Denver International Airport was his first foray into terminal design, and he has since designed over US$20.8bn and 105.7 million square feet of aviation projects in the USA, Asia and the Middle East. His most recent project was the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX, and he just completed design of the international terminal at Orlando International. He founded the Fentress Global Challenge in 2011 to inspire creative and visionary thinking among architectural students around the globe. The firm has studios in Denver, Washington DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Houston.


Day 1 - 14 March
Session: Future Airports

09:40 - 10:10 - The Future Airport
Synopsis: There is no end to the demands placed on airports in this ever-changing world. The speed of change is so incredible that the moment we begin designing an airport, we are already renovating it. Airport architects are on the front line, the point of conflict between myriad opposing forces, balancing trends in markets, technology, security, and ideas with human and cultural influences to create memorable gateways that embrace globalisation. The Fentress Global Challenge: Airport of the Future, challenges students around the world to envision this airport. Winners receive a US$15,000 prize that includes an internship at Fentress Architects.

Audience will learn:

• Airports are a young and emerging building type
• Airports are gateways to cities and cultures, and thus can be an economic driver for cities and regions
• Airport designers must always look to the future but our practical role today is to lay their foundation
• Air travel will become more and more common and passengers want a seamless travel experience

Day 1 - 14 March
Session: Future Airports

17:05 - 17:35 - Panel Discussion: Airport Fast Forward
Synopsis: The year is 2050! Can you imagine what your end-to-end air travel experience will be like? Come and join us in a robust futuristic panel discussion about the possibilities of technological innovations and the changing social behaviour of the next generation of travellers that will transform the way our airports will look, feel and function. We will look at the winning entries of an international student design competition conducted by Fentress architects, followed by each panelist's views on critical areas of change and how we can prepare for the Airport 2050.