Pub. 3 2015 Directory

16 THE MONTANA ARCHITECT | 2015 | www.aia-mt.org new definition of “housing development” for Montana. Work contin- ues on the development with new villas and townhouses. The M&I House won a 2007 AIA Montana Merit Award recipient for seamlessly blending an expansive addition with the original Georgian residence designed by architect Fred Willson in 1912. The commu- nity-enhancing renovation repeats the symmetry of the original structure and adds a formal garden and reflecting pool. The complete renovation and new contemporary addition of the Villa Montana , the stunning Queen Anne/colonial revival mansion in the heart of Bozeman’s historic district, develop a harmony between old and new. The building received a Bozeman Historic Preservation Award for Excellence and an AIA Continental Europe award for a “successful design solution and creativity and contribution to the built environment.” Thomas’s current projects in- clude Talbach House , a luxury 66-unit apartment complex on the south side of Bozeman that features exposed structure gates and framed sliding French doors with glass railings, and The Market . Following the current trend of new open spaces for shopping, eating, and relaxing, The Market is a new building in the 18-acre Ferguson Development in west Bozeman for which Thomas completed the master plan. The building is designed with 18-foot ceil- ings with exposed timber trusses using Montana farming architecture vocabulary. He recently received a Bozeman Beautification Award for Excellence for the renovation of the Spinelli residence. For Thomas, architecture should explore the transformative power of sustainable design, which has the potential to yield a more vibrant, exciting architecture for the future. An awareness of sustainability began in his first project, the Eprom competition in 1973 in Czecho- slovakia, and has continued through all his projects, including two LEED platinum-designed buildings, the Burgard Building in Bozeman and the Eco House in the Yellowstone Club. Thomas’s finalist design for the Billings Courthouse , qualifying for LEED gold certification, follows the architecture precedent of the Billings historic district and the tradition of great Montana architects John Link, Fred Willson and Cass Gilbert. His commitment to design excellence and sustainability is evidenced by several AIA and community awards, over 30 international design competitions, and his certification as LEED AP BD+C. In addition to promoting sustainable architecture in his practice, Thomas advises developers in the Czech Republic on implementing LEED principles in Central Europe to enhance the built environment. INTERNATIONAL An active member of the AIA since 1990, Thomas has fostered a greater understanding and cooperation between architects in the United States and Europe, most particularly in his native Czech Republic. He was member of the International PIA/International Committee Knowledge Community and one of the original partici- pants in the AIA Continental Europe chapter. In 1997, as co-organiz- er and speaker, he presented the first international AIACE conference in a former Iron Curtain country in a joint AIACE/Czech Chamber of Architects (CKA) effort. He is an organizer of the forthcoming joint VILLA MONTANA TALBACH HOUSE SPINELLI RESIDENCE