KO&CO Architecture
KO&CO Architecture is a 12-person, privately held Brisbane architecture practice founded in 2013, specialising in residential, education, and public/commercial projects with a focus on social/affordable housing and specialist disability accommodation, serving Queensland Government, BHC, Youngcare, and private clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersRed Hill, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What KO&CO Architecture does
KO&CO Architecture is a privately held, award-winning architectural practice headquartered in Red Hill, Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in 2013 and led by registered architect Karen Ognibene (BOAQ 3787, NSW ARB 10430), the 12-person firm delivers three core service lines: residential architecture (including single-family homes, social and affordable housing, and specialist disability accommodation), education architecture (learning spaces for government and private schools), and public and commercial architecture (workplaces, hospitality, and public venues).
The firm's technical differentiator is a passive design methodology optimised for Brisbane's subtropical climate, combining building orientation, cross-ventilation, and natural cooling to reduce reliance on air conditioning and lower ongoing electricity costs for residents. Projects are delivered to Liveable Housing Design Guidelines Gold Standard for accessibility, and the practice holds SQI-9001 (JAS-ANZ) quality certification and AIA A+ membership. Featured work includes Jingeri Glenalva Terrace (10-unit SDA, 2019 UDIA Queensland Awards winner), Curwen Terrace (Chermside affordable housing), Victoria Point State High School technologies building (2023), Bridgeman Downs SDA (six villas with Youngcare), and quê dining.
The business model is fee-based professional services, with projects won through government/institutional tender processes and direct commissions. Clients are concentrated among Queensland Government entities (Department of Education, Queensland Government as funding body), Brisbane Housing Company and the BHC QIC Consortium, Youngcare, and select private residential and hospitality clients. Distribution is exclusively direct, supported by an organic social/content presence (Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Houzz, blog, newsletter) that functions as portfolio marketing rather than active demand generation. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the firm has no parent company, subsidiaries, or external funding.
KO&CO Architecture firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KO&CO Architecture
- Legal name
- KO&Co Architecture
- Website
- https://koandcompany.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- KO&CO Architecture is a 12-person, privately held Brisbane architecture practice founded in 2013, specialising in residential, education, and public/commercial projects with a focus on social/affordable housing and specialist disability accommodation, serving Queensland Government, BHC, Youngcare, and private clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KO&CO Architecture industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Architectural Services
- NAICS
- Architectural Services (541310), Architectural Services (54131)
- SIC
- Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Home Accessibility Assessment & Design (HSAPANAA), Accessibility & Universal Design Consulting (HSABAJAB)
Keywords
Where KO&CO Architecture is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Red Hill
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
KO&CO Architecture business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Architectural Services - Government/Institutional: Fee-based architectural services for government departments (Department of Education), housing authorities, and institutional clients for education, social housing, and specialist disability accommodation projects. Projects are delivered through tender and direct commission.
- Architectural Services - Private Sector: Fee-based architectural services for private residential, commercial, and hospitality clients including restaurants and commercial developments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based architectural services with fee structures dependent on project scope and complexity |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
KO&CO Architecture product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KO&CO Architecture is an award-winning Brisbane-based architecture firm offering three core services: Residential Architecture (single-family homes, affordable/social housing, and specialist disability accommodation), Education Architecture (learning spaces for government and private schools), and Public and Commercial Architecture (workplaces and hospitality venues). The firm differentiates through passive design principles, cross-ventilation expertise, and Liveable Housing Design Gold Standard compliance tailored to Queensland's climate.
Product overview
KO&CO Architecture is an award-winning architecture firm based in Red Hill, Brisbane ( Yuggerra Country, Queensland). The firm offers three core architecture service lines: Residential Architecture (single-family homes, affordable/social housing, specialist disability accommodation), Education Architecture (learning spaces for government and private schools), and Public & Commercial Architecture (workplaces and public spaces). Their featured projects include Curwen Terrace affordable housing, Victoria Point State High School technologies building, Jingeri Glenalva Terrace disability housing (UDIA award winner 2019), Bridgeman Downs specialist disability accommodation, and quê dining commercial project. The firm collaborates with organizations including Brisbane Housing Company, Youngcare, Department of Education, and various engineering and consulting partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Residential Architecture Services Architectural design services for single-family homes, affordable and social housing units, and specialist disability accommodation, designed to create functional and homely spaces tailored to occupants' needs.
- Education Architecture Services Architectural design services for government and private schools, delivering flexible, collaborative learning spaces that facilitate and encourage learning through stakeholder collaboration.
- Public and Commercial Architecture Services Architectural design services for public spaces, workplaces, and hospitality venues, creating beautiful environments for people to work and play in.
Quantifiable outcome
- The Curwen project demonstrates cross-ventilation that cools buildings year-round at zero cost, significantly reducing electricity bills for residents
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use KO&CO Architecture
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
KO&CO Architecture technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
KO&CO Architecture partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- YoungcarecoreOngoing partnership delivering Specialist Disability Accommodation projects. Currently working on Bridgeman Downs project - a community residence of six villas designed to accommodate people with high physical support needs. Youngcare was founded in 2005 with a mission to keep young people with high care needs out of aged care facilities.
- BHC QIC ConsortiumcoreDelivery consortium for social and affordable housing projects including Curwen Terrace in Chermside. BHC (Brisbane Housing Company) and QIC partnership for housing development delivery with funding from Queensland Government and financing through Housing Australia and Australian Retirement Trust.
- Lynn TipperminorLand donor for Bridgeman Downs SDA project, donating a generous 10,000m² block of land 15km from Brisbane CBD.
- Department of Education (Queensland)coreClient for education sector projects including Victoria Point State High School new technologies building. Ongoing relationship for government school facility projects.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
KO&CO Architecture competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Cox Architecture: Major Australian architecture firm with national reach across residential, education, and public/commercial sectors. A larger competitor on education, social infrastructure, and mixed-tenure housing tenders.
- dwp | design worldwide partnership: International design firm with Australian practice covering workplace, healthcare, education, and residential sectors. Overlaps with KO&CO's public and commercial and residential service lines at a larger scale.
- HASSELL: Large Australian architecture practice with national public-sector portfolio in education, transport, and community buildings. Larger-scale competitor for government institutional commissions.
Direct peers
- ARM Architecture: Australian architecture practice recognised for social housing, public housing renewal, and education work. Overlaps directly with KO&CO's social/affordable housing and learning environments focus.
- BVN: Australian architecture firm with significant education, residential, and public building practices. Overlaps with KO&CO in education, residential, and community-focused architecture across Queensland and NSW.
- Hayball: Australian architecture practice with strong emphasis on education, social/affordable housing, and community projects. Highly comparable to KO&CO's social housing and education portfolio focus on Queensland and Victoria government clients.
- Architectus: Australian architecture practice with social and affordable housing, education, and public building expertise. Direct competitor on government housing and education tenders across eastern states.
- ClarkeHopkinsClarke: Multi-disciplinary Australian firm with established education and community/social infrastructure practices. Comparable end-markets (schools, community housing, mixed-tenure residential) and government procurement engagement.
- ThomsonAdsett: Australian design firm with a dedicated social infrastructure and aged/disability care practice. Comparable specialisation in specialist disability accommodation, seniors housing, and community infrastructure.
Regional players
- Conrad Gargett: Brisbane-headquartered architecture practice with strong heritage, education, and public-sector credentials. Direct local competitor for Queensland Department of Education, housing authority, and institutional commissions.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
KO&CO Architecture social profiles
Digital presenceKO&CO Architecture financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KO&CO Architecture leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
KO&CO Architecture funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KO&CO Architecture M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about KO&CO Architecture
What does KO&CO Architecture do?
KO&CO Architecture is an award-winning Brisbane-based architecture firm offering three core services: Residential Architecture (single-family homes, affordable/social housing, and specialist disability accommodation), Education Architecture (learning spaces for government and private schools), and Public and Commercial Architecture (workplaces and hospitality venues). The firm differentiates through passive design principles, cross-ventilation expertise, and Liveable Housing Design Gold Standard compliance tailored to Queensland's climate.
Is KO&CO Architecture a public or private company?
KO&CO Architecture is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was KO&CO Architecture founded?
KO&CO Architecture was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is KO&CO Architecture based?
KO&CO Architecture is headquartered in Red Hill, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does KO&CO Architecture make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Architectural Services - Government/Institutional is the primary driver. The others are architectural Services - Private Sector.
Who are KO&CO Architecture's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Cox Architecture, dwp | design worldwide partnership and HASSELL. Direct peers are ARM Architecture, BVN, Hayball, Architectus, ClarkeHopkinsClarke and ThomsonAdsett. Conrad Gargett is listed as a regional player.
Does KO&CO Architecture have an API?
No public API is recorded for KO&CO Architecture.
What industry is KO&CO Architecture in?
KO&CO Architecture's product category is Architectural Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFABAE, Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders, with a secondary code of HSAPANAA, Home Accessibility Assessment & Design. Its NAICS code is 541310 and its SIC code is 7340.