Curtis Fentress credits power of adaptation for success of #1 Hot Firm
But he still draws with a #2 pencil, despite all the technology now available.

Curtis Fentress founded Fentress Architects in Denver in 1980, back in the time of blueprints and #2 pencils. How much things have changed. In this interview, the leader of this 150-person firm still believes that honesty, respect, passion and the power to change with the times are the secrets of success. Maybe that helps explain why Fentress tops the Hot Firm List in 2010, bettering better-known and bigger firms.

The Zweig Letter: How did you get to where you are today?

Curtis Fentress: I was very fortunate to have selected a profession that I truly enjoy, and I have been lucky to be located in Denver,Colorado, a city that has been reinventing itself for the last 30 years. When you’re passionate about something, the hard work and long hours are more fun and rewarding. But passion alone isn’t enough, and ultimately, I owe the most to the people I have worked with through the years— great clients and a talented, dedicated team.

TZL: What is the best part of your job?

CF: The best part of my job is working with clients and colleagues who are all excited about the challenges of creating great architecture and solving problems that often seem impossible. It is the interaction with clients and team members to create the best solutions to design problems we work on each day.

TZL: What is the number one business issue you are facing right now? What do you do about it?

CF: The economy has fostered a lot of consolidation in the design industry, and it’s different than it was just three years ago. Many big design firms are growing through mergers and acquisitions. They are more vertically integrated, so they do everything in-house, from architecture and engineering to construction. They’re also buying up small to mid-sized design firms and expanding horizontally to strengthen their position in specific markets. What this means to us is that we must stay focused on being flexible, delivering the best possible architecture and design for our clients, and trying to see as clearly as possible what lies ahead. Hopefully this will help us adapt to whatever happens next.

TZL: How has the A/E industry changed since when you first started your career?

CF: Technology has been a huge catalyst for change, affecting design and project delivery. 3D modeling and building information modeling have brought exciting innovations in how we design and how we work with team members and consultants. Integrated Project Delivery is a win-win for everyone. Also, it used to be that the young interns learned from the veteran architects, but that’s changed with these advances in technology. Now the learning goes both ways, since new graduates are often better trained on the latest software. But the interaction of team members is still the greatest source of creativity and ideas. And I still draw with a #2 pencil in the midst of all this technology.

TZL: What do you think it takes to be successful?

CF: Character. I grew up in a rural farm community where honesty and respect guided our every word and action. I try to live by these values every day. Passion motivates me. You have to love what you do and constantly be learning new things.

TZL: Do you have a mentor?

CF: My mentors are I.M. Pei, Henry Cobb and Jim Freed from Pei Cobb Freed. I had the fabulous opportunity to work there for five years when I was young, and that experience was my graduate school. They taught me the qualities of timeless design and true partnership. I am also grateful to the hundreds of clients and partners who have greatly influenced my life.

TZL: What would be your advice for future and current professionals in the A/E field?

CF: Change has always been inevitable, but now it’s inevitable and exponential. To stay vital you have to adapt quickly and always remain a student of architecture and design. My advice to architects? Be flexible. Don’t be afraid of change… otherwise you risk being left behind. Also, patience is a virtue, particularly in the current economic climate.

TZL: What’s the most difficult part of your job?

CF: The most difficult part of my job is to stay focused and listen closely to the multiple stakeholders in public architecture, each with different needs and perspectives. At times it seems impossible to come up with a solution that will satisfy everyone, but in the end, there must be just one building. When it works, though, what is most difficult becomes the most rewarding.

TZL: What lesson learned would you pass along to a recent college graduate embarking on a career in the A/E field?

CF: Young architects are our creative and intellectual capital for the future. They will bring ideas and solutions to our industry that we can’t even imagine today. To these individuals, I say, “Lift your heads high, rise to the challenge, and enjoy the process. I hope you find it as rewarding as I do.”