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/ BUILDING DIALOGUE / DECEMBER 2017
/ OZ Architecture Spans Decades, Even the Globe /
named include 250 Columbine, a Cherry
Creek area condo/mixed-use development,
the World Trade Center Denver building in
River North, a health and community ser-
vices campus in Longmont, and McMurdo
Station in the climate extreme Antarctica.
Nearly every company can cite a vision
and values, but few seem to have aligned
with them as powerfully as OZ. Words from
the vision and values crop up constantly in
conversation about the firm, its work, and
its future. The OZ vision includes “embrac-
ing the ‘freedom to take risk and push the
industry’ to build a practice that is ‘signifi-
cantly diverse and unique,’” and it’s regular-
ly noted as a guide point for firm decisions.
Its five values – making others successful,
pioneering, an attitude of openness, stew-
ardship of community and upholding the
OZ continuum – are equally respected.
The idea of the continuum, which casts
current employees as caretakers of the past
and nurturing forces for the future, is what
Davis calls “the singular idea or overarching
thing that makes OZ special.” The firm trac-
es its roots to 1964, when Alan Zeigel (the “Z”
in OZ) founded Everett Zeigel with a part-
ner and began designing notable projects
including several for the National Park Ser-
vice. Fast-forward just over 20 years, when
Zeigel and former co-worker (and CU Boul-
der alum) Tom Obermeier (the “O”) decid-
ed to combine their individual firms. Since
then, OZ has flourished by pairing thought-
ful growthwith honoring the founders’ idea
of architecture that honors people, place,
and timeless design.
With its strong ethos, solid footing, and
talented people unafraid to reach for the
future, OZ, now in its third generation of
leadership, is certain to continue trans-
forming the built environment for the next
half-century – or more.
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LEFT:
St. Vrain Community Hub in Longmont
brings health and human services
together under one roof leading to a more
stable and healthy community. Courtesy
James Ray Spahn