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3/28/24
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Celebrating a half-century of award-winning design, innovation, and community building, the City of Orange honored AO, a leading full-service architecture firm with expertise spanning the full commercial and multifamily residential real estate spectrum, with an official city proclamation ceremony at the Woman’s Club of Orange, adjacent to City Hall. The congratulatory proclamation, announcing the day – March 27 - as “AO Day”, signed by the city council and recognizing the firm’s contributions and accomplishments, was presented to AO’s partners by City of Orange Mayor Dan Slater.
AO Architects Managing Partners and Partners |
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Founded by Orange High School graduate and longtime local resident, Jack Selman, Architects Orange opened its first office in the historic Barger Building in Old Towne Orange in 1974. A few years later Selman purchased the building at 144 N Orange St, where the firm is still headquartered today, expanding its footprint in the historic and beloved part of the city. Officially rebranded as AO in 2019, the organization has grown to become the largest architecture firm in Orange County and one of the major employers in the City of Orange.
“On behalf of the City of Orange, I am honored to recognize AO's 50th anniversary - a culmination of substantial architectural achievements and contributions to our community,” Mayor Slater remarked. “We wish them continued success and we are proud AO calls Orange home.”
Locally, AO has left an indelible mark on the community of Orange through the design of numerous iconic buildings, including over 1,600 apartment units such as such as Aura & Vita Apartments, Cameo Apartments, Renaissance at Uptown Orange and Windsor at Main Place, as well as more than 100k sf of retail and commercial space in Orange. The firms influence extends far beyond the local sphere, with projects spanning across the United States from Los Angeles to Boston, and internationally from Toronto to Jakarta. In addition to its headquarters in the city of Orange, AO has offices across the US in San Diego, Oakland, and Sunnyvale, CA, as well as Atlanta, GA, New York, NY, and Orlando, FL.
During the ceremony, AO was also recognized as a philanthropic leader in the Orange County community shining a light on its architects and staff members who support various local charities and non-profit organizations every year across the county, helping to raise funds and volunteering their time to organizations such as The Friendly Center, OC Food Bank, and Think Together.
"We are deeply honored by this distinction," remarked RC Alley, managing partner at AO. "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."
This momentous event kicks off AO’s 50th anniversary year, with more celebrations and recognition moments to come for the firm’s portfolio of clients and 350 dedicated employees.
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