CO Architects was founded in 1986 by architects Jack MacAllister and David Rinehart, who previously worked with Louis I. Kahn in the 1950s. After relocating to Southern California in the ’60s, MacAllister and Rinehart brought their experience with Kahn into the Los Angeles office of Anshen+Allen. The regional office began operating as CO Architects in 2005. 

Now 30 years old, CO Architects takes pride in their portfolio that illustrates their specialty in large-scale, complex typologies including healthcare, higher education, and civic projects for big clients like Kaiser Permanente, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the Superior Court of California, and universities across the U.S. CO Architects Principal Jennifer Knudsen took a moment with Archinect to share what the firm expects in their most promising job candidates.

1. What positions are most in-demand at your firm?

Candidates with 8-12 years of experience are the most difficult to find, however, we've been very successful in the past few years in hiring excellent entry-level junior designers.

2. What are the three most important qualities for any new hire to have at your firm?

Passion, team focus, and strong communication of ideas, concepts, and personal goals are important qualities.

3. What information do you expect potential candidates to know about your firm's practice and work?

Candidates should understand the basics about CO Architects from the website, which covers our commitment to mission-driven clients and the types of projects we undertake. They should be able to articulate why this appeals to them. It's also important that candidates have some questions for us about what they couldn't garner from the website or others in the industry.

4. After reviewing their CV, what are you looking to learn about an applicant from an interview?

We like to see how applicants respond in an interview situation, including their communication style, ability to react on the spot, and if their personality fits with our office culture. It's important to see how ideas and design processes are described, as well as specific roles and responsibilities in any team or office work.

5. What do you say is the best thing about working for your firm? What is the most challenging thing?

Individuals make a difference. The firm has always been very horizontal, and people with passion and initiative can do very well. Everyone has the opportunity to make their mark on projects and the firm. Individuals who prefer very defined roles and responsibilities can find this challenging. We prefer that individuals take the lead in defining their role.

6. What are some immediate “red flags” for you in applications?

Candidates who have moved firms and positions frequently can be a red flag. This is not insurmountable, but needs to be thoughtfully explained.

7. What’s the most common mistake candidates make when applying to work with you?

A big mistake would be that the candidate didn't do their homework and doesn't understand our clients and projects. Also, not following up on an application could be a downfall, as persistence and timing often pays off.

Not following up on an application could be a downfall, as persistence and timing often pays off.

8. What kind of technical skills are absolutely essential for applicants? 

Design sensibility, critical thinking, and effective communication are essential. We also look for computer aptitude, but not necessarily specific software, as individuals with aptitude can typically pick up any necessary software.

9. What kind of training do new hires undergo when they’re first starting?

Each new hire immediately joins a project team and is integrated into the office through their team. If employees need Revit training, we will provide them formal instruction. They will also be oriented to our office standards and resources.

 

10. Do you have an internship program? If so, briefly describe.

We have several interns each summer and have recently hired a full-time intern. Interns typically join a project team and have a myriad of responsibilities in design and documentation, which can include graphic and presentation materials, physical models, and design and coordination activities. We also have a licensing coordinator who meets with staff members going through the NCARB Architectural Experience Program to ensure they are getting the necessary hours required for licensing.

11. What are three words that your employees might use to describe your firm?

Collaborative, engaging, and flexible would describe us.

12. When interviewing, how do you describe your company ethos? What part of your working environment do you promote with potential candidates?

We don't divide the office into studios, and most individuals will have the opportunity to work on any number of projects types. We believe this keeps the work innovative and brings ideas from one project to another. We keep a project team together, starting from the early phases of design and programming, all the way through construction, so it isn't handed off to other departments. This provides a comprehensive experience for team members and a great understanding of all the phases necessary to deliver a building. The project team is at the heart of everything we do. Not only is each team provided office resources to succeed, but they are also given the autonomy to make the project their own.

13. What additional social activities do you do as an office?

We have a weekly happy hour held on our spacious balcony with a view of the Hollywood sign. We hold a weekly yoga class taught by one of our own “Coworkers” and certified yogi. We also have lunch and happy hour updates of work in progress, conference presentations, and really anything interesting that our employees would like to share. We typically have a family baseball night in the summer and a holiday party in the winter. As part of our 30th anniversary celebration, we are hosting monthly events to celebrate CO Architects’ employees and families, both past and present. Some of those celebrations include a reunion party, a food truck picnic lunch, and an anticipated holiday toy drive with one of our healthcare clients.

14. If a candidate had the choice between you and another firm, what argument would you use to win them over?

We are fortunate to work for some of the world's greatest institutions and create buildings that impact how future generations will educate, learn, discover, and heal. Almost all of our projects are built and this is a great place to learn how to put a building together. We provide an incredible amount of opportunity and responsibility for those who are willing to take it. We work hard, but like to have fun. And finally, we would tell the candidate how much we want them to be part of the CO family.

15. Which areas of your firm are growing the fastest?

Over the past two years, we have grown our staff expertise in interior design and interior architecture, as well as adding in-house laboratory planning. We've also added staff dedicated to digital design, computation, and virtual reality. We have hired talented individuals at all levels, including many entry level candidates who have made an immediate impact.

16. How do you see your firm growing in the next five years? 

We plan to continue to grow in Los Angeles and provide excellent service to our clients all over the country. We anticipate continued growth in our lab planning expertise. Technology specialists will likely continue to impact our work.

Interested in joining CO Architects? Check out their Archinect profile to see if they have any current listings. To see more active listings from hundreds of firms, browse Archinect's Job Board.