Our Story

HISTORY

Principal and Founder, Ron Abo FAIA, NOMA, NCARB, LEED AP graduated with a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Colorado Boulder and became the first director of the Community Design Center of Denver at the University of Colorado at Denver. The design center provided culturally appropriate architecture by collaborating with the community.

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The Design Center movement had a profound effect on Ron, and in 1976 he began his private practice with a renewed commitment to designing impactful community projects by using a participatory design process. This was also during the time of the OPEC oil embargo, and as the price of fossil fuels skyrocketed, Ron designed houses that were highly energy efficient through means of passive solar design, super insulation, earth sheltering, thermal mass, natural ventilation, and use of locally produced and sustainable building materials.

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Over the years the firm has grown, but the spirit of the sole proprietorship that Ron started still remains as a bedrock of our design practice. the abo co-op continuously embraces an ethic of sustainable design that also includes a recognition of and sensitivity to maintaining and preserving the historic fabric of communities. Today, the abo co-op continues to design projects that reflect the values and culture of a community and the needs of the users.