BRS Celebrates 50 Years

Celebrating 50 Years of BRS Architecture

On July 16, 2025, we marked a milestone 50 years in the making.

The Washington Park Boathouse, nestled in one of Denver’s most iconic parks, was the perfect backdrop for BRS Architecture’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. From alumni and clients to consultants and collaborators, we were thrilled to be joined by so many people who have shaped and championed our work over the past five decades.

We threw it back to 1975 with a groovy nod to our roots in the backyard of Washington Park Recreation Center (an early Ron Rinker project). Some highlights were swan boat rides, a photobooth with the goose (from the 1982 staff photo), a signature cocktail (“The Impeccable Agreement”), and a celebratory slideshow filled with faces and places that have defined our journey. But the evening wasn’t just a look back, it was a glimpse forward.

A timeline wrapped one corner of the room, connecting our past to our present and inviting guests to dream about the future. At the “Future” station, we asked attendees to finish the sentence: In the future, BRS will… Their answers? Bold, playful, and inspiring: “Open an office in the UK,” “Build a project in Canada,” “Make communities better for the next 50 years.”

Guests enjoyed BBQ, cocktails, ice cream, and plenty of laughter. A rotary phone recorded messages from friends past and present, while table trivia stirred up stories and memories from across the decades. (Did you know BRS designed 50 brutalist-style banks in the 1970s? Or that the BRS Card Game was inspired by Johnny Carson’s Carnac the Magnificent?)

Reflections from Roz and Katie

The evening also featured remarks from two remarkable BRS leaders—Past Partner Roz Barhaugh and current Managing Partner Katie Barnes.

Roz, who began her journey with the firm in 1975 as a secretary and became the first woman and first non-architect to be named a principal of an architectural firm in Colorado, reminded us what BRS has always stood for:

“Fifty years is no small thing. In architecture, it means not just endurance, but influence. Not just buildings, but bonds. And BRS has done just that: created places and relationships that have stood the test of time.”

She shared stories of the early days, from cooking lunch on Fridays to typing specs and making macramé plant holders, and recalled a recent conversation with founding partner Don Barker:

“That may be the most famous project I ever worked on,” Don said, reflecting on his work on the Getty Museum in LA, “but the highlight of my career was being a partner at BRS.”

Katie Barnes kicked off the evening with a tribute to the culture that makes BRS, BRS:

“What makes BRS special isn’t just the work. It’s the people. The ones who believe that good design matters. That community matters. That shared snacks, office dogs, and laughter matter.”

She spoke of legacy, gratitude, and the responsibility to carry the torch:

“We’re celebrating 50 years of BRS. As a result of a great deal of passion and an enormous amount of hard work, BRS has been around longer than personal computers, smartphones, and AutoCAD. The founding partners built something that lasted.”