William B. Robb: An Architect's Impact on Fort Collins
Student Researchers: Susan Downing
William B. Robb, more commonly known as Bill Robb, was a prominent architect whose
prolific work shaped the face of Fort Collins, Colorado When he moved to Fort Collins in
the early 1950 ’s he was the first person to establish a local architecture firm As Fort
Collins quickly grew in size, so did the firm’s reputation for impeccable work Their work
was known for being economical, functional, and innovative, as well as being aesthetically
pleasing additions to the community Robb was able to achieve this reputation by
approaching each new project with an open mind, without any preconceived notions of
what the design should be His only goal was to create a design that was the most
beneficial for the client, based on their needs, wants, and budget Robb described the
process as making “an individual style for each of our buildings” which was shaped by the
program and building requirements
Fort Collins was not only Bill Robb’s place of business, but also where he raised a family
and a community he was deeply involved in He was a member of the Fort Collins Regional
Planning Commission, Community Council of Fort Collins, Citizens Committee of Fort Collins
Schools, Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Society of Architects, Kiwanis, and the Colorado
Northern Chapter of American Institute of Architects Robb was quoted as saying,saying,“We feel
when you are close to your work, you can form a close relationship with your client and
provide a better service His love for the town and its citizens is evident in all aspects of
his body of work It would be very hard to find someone living in Fort Collins who has not
stepped foot into a building designed by William Robb or his firm, RB+B.
prolific work shaped the face of Fort Collins, Colorado When he moved to Fort Collins in
the early 1950 ’s he was the first person to establish a local architecture firm As Fort
Collins quickly grew in size, so did the firm’s reputation for impeccable work Their work
was known for being economical, functional, and innovative, as well as being aesthetically
pleasing additions to the community Robb was able to achieve this reputation by
approaching each new project with an open mind, without any preconceived notions of
what the design should be His only goal was to create a design that was the most
beneficial for the client, based on their needs, wants, and budget Robb described the
process as making “an individual style for each of our buildings” which was shaped by the
program and building requirements
Fort Collins was not only Bill Robb’s place of business, but also where he raised a family
and a community he was deeply involved in He was a member of the Fort Collins Regional
Planning Commission, Community Council of Fort Collins, Citizens Committee of Fort Collins
Schools, Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Society of Architects, Kiwanis, and the Colorado
Northern Chapter of American Institute of Architects Robb was quoted as saying,saying,“We feel
when you are close to your work, you can form a close relationship with your client and
provide a better service His love for the town and its citizens is evident in all aspects of
his body of work It would be very hard to find someone living in Fort Collins who has not
stepped foot into a building designed by William Robb or his firm, RB+B.