About
Fentress Global Challenge
The pursuit of innovative design in public architecture
I was very impressed by the wide range of proposals sparked by the competition brief, from highly pragmatic to wildly conceptual.
– Donald Albrecht, Curator, Museum of the City of New York
Fentress Global Challenge
Fentress Global Challenge (FGC) is an annual international student design competition launched in 2011 by Curtis Fentress. During the past eight years, it has garnered well over a thousand entries from student teams residing in more than 75 countries. In addition to an increased number of registrations each year, there has also been a steady rise in the quality of submittals. FGC represents an extraordinary exploration into the future of architecture, and in so doing, has helped advance the pursuit of innovative design in public architecture.
While it hasn’t always been the case, airports—terminal buildings, in particular—have become the area of study for this competition. Participants are tasked with choosing an existing airport and envisioning how its terminals will look and function in a distant future year. Submissions must consider local context, technological trends, project feasibility, and passenger experience.
Announcement of the competition generally occurs in the in the first quarter of the year.
The Fentress Global Challenge is an incredible way for our firm to engage with students from across the globe. It’s been thrilling to see and evaluate the ideas of the next generation of designers.
– Curtis Fentress, Founder, Fentress Global Challenge
Fentress is internationally recognized for his design portfolio. His buildings grace the skylines of cities around the world, and are visited by over 550 million people each year. Known for his “Patient Search,” Fentress employs a meticulous process of design.