Yesterday, March 27th, saw a special celebration of AO (formerly Architects Orange) in the city of Orange, California, in recognition of the 50th anniversary of their founding.

The practice was honored by the city and Mayor Dan Slater with "AO Day" in recognition of their award-winning work and dedication to community building locally. The celebration comes after a recent bid for what would be North America’s tallest building in Oklahoma City, commissioned by Orange County-based developer Scot Matteson, has placed them in the international spotlight. 

The firm was founded by Orange High School graduate Jack Selman in 1974, shortly after finishing his studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Since rebranding in 2019, the organization has become the largest architecture firm in Orange County, as well as one of its largest overall employers. AO now operates offices in six other locations across the U.S. and has added to its local portfolio of multifamily and commercial work with projects as far away as Toronto and Jakarta, Indonesia.

The nonprofit and volunteer work undertaken by the firm's 350 employees within Orange County helped also to garner recognition from the city. 

"We are deeply honored by this distinction," managing partner RC Alley said. "I’d like to express our gratitude to our amazing clients for entrusting us with their vision. Our success is a testament to the enduring relationships we have cultivated over the years. I'd also like to acknowledge our world-class employees, past and present, who have tirelessly served and designed for this community, as well as communities across the globe, for the past 50 years."

On Archinect Jobs, the firm is currently hiring for five different positions at its Orange headquarters.