Pub. 1 2013 Directory

24 THE MONTANA ARCHITECT | 2013 | www.aia-mt.org Citation Award Merit Award Recession Modernism T he design for this single-family residence in the heart of downtown Bozeman personifies a playful interpretation of iconic house imagery. Exterior materials of glass, steel, and wood are simply detailed and applied with a modern sensibility. Four phases of construction, and a timeline which spanned the recession, addressed the owner’s evolving needs and budgetary constraints. First, the turn-of-the-century white-clapboard bungalow home was made habitable through asbestos remediation and electrical upgrades. The second phase expanded the living space by replacing the existing dilapidated garage with a new metal tower; its construction juxtaposed old and new patterns of living. Large steel panels peeked out from the behind the small house, defining a new architectural language within Bozeman’s historic district. The third design phase, a minimalist and artful variation of the recognizably iconic shaped home, attached to the tower. While providing an aesthetic balance between the neighborhood context and the metal tower, this smaller wood-skinned structure also reflects the economic reality of the owners during the recession. Finally, the home was completed in January of 2011 with the wood and steel outdoor living space. Thinktank Design Group, Inc. was formed in 1999 based on the premise that good architecture starts with responsible community planning, and ends with attention to craft, finish details, and intentional artifacts within the building. In the interest of becoming better architects, Thinktank explores design from the ‘bookends’ of the profession; practicing real- estate development to building modern furniture. Conceptually, Thinktank approached the infill development of the Recession Modernism home as an evolving contextual dialogue between the various design phases of the two pavilions. This approach is representative of Thinktank’s design process, which begins by examining all influential forces constituting a project. Pragmatic considerations are overlaid by unique conceptual inspirations to elevate the quality design of architecture from a commoditization to an art. Photos by Derik Olsen Photography (derikolsen.com ). Project Location: Bozeman, Montana Lead Architect:Brian T Caldwell, AIA Architecture Team: Erik R Nelson Firm: Thinktank Design Group, Inc. 33 North Black Avenue Bozeman, MT 59715 brian@thinktankaia.com