Pub. 7 2019 Directory

28 THE MONTANA ARCHITECT | 2019-2020 | www.aia-mt.org Lake Yellowstone Hotel A&E Honorable Mention Award Lake Yellowstone Hotel Located along the shore of Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone Nation- al Park, Lake Yellowstone Hotel is an early twentieth century, grand resort hotel. Originally built in 1891, it is the oldest operating hotel in the National Park System. A multi-phased renovation restored the iconic building for the enjoyment of guests seeking luxurious accommodation in one of the most popular and remote national parks in the country. The comprehensive renovation restored a sense of classic elegance throughout 110,000 square feet of guest spaces, including the lobby, dining room, bar, sunroom, and guest rooms. Every detail was chosen to maintain the historic integrity of the hotel while providing the utmost of comfort. From furnishings, flooring, and lighting, the design team upgraded each space in an expression compatible to the hotel’s history while simultaneously meeting the needs of modern tourists. A primary design goal was to preserve the hotel’s Colonial-Revival character by restoring historic design elements that had been lost over time. Using historical data as a guide, the design team replicated the grand porte-cochere, roof balustrade, and widow’s walk to restore the original design expression. Because much of Yellowstone National Park sits within an active super-volcano, the hotel required major structural upgrades to enhance foundational stability and life safety provisions, as well as correct settlement issues due to the Park’s seismic activity and san- dy, native soil. Varied treatment techniques were developed to level the hotel’s floors within modern accessibility tolerances. To accommodate tourism and limit disruption to Park guests, con- struction was scheduled during the sub-zero conditions of winter. Materials were transported on tracked vehicles using the nearest snow-plowed road, then carried the remaining distance on snow- mobiles across the snowy landscape to the site. Undeterred by the challenging conditions, the design team lived and worked full-time on-site to facilitate responses to discovered conditions and work scope changes. Despite its location in a rustic, natural environment, Lake Yellow- stone Hotel offers luxury and elegance through its architectural