Helena, MT
Montana AIA Citation Award - 2006, The Shiland House started as an effort to explore design and construction goals within our architectural office. As such, a group of designers within the office formed an LLC and purchased a small infill lot within the older upper south side of Helena. The goals were simply to show by example that good, affordable, and sustainable design can be achieved in a small home within an established and historic neighborhood. The firm acted as the general contractor as well, and towards the end of construction, installed the bamboo and concrete floors as well as the concrete counter tops and fixtures. The design was a well thought-out three-story plan that focused on economy of space and energy efficiency. Though the lot is only 40 feet wide, it abuts an alley on one side. The firm pursued a variance to push the house closer to the alley in order to provide more space on the south side. The house captures the essence of the neighborhood, maintains sustainable strategies, and shows how an attractive functional house can be placed on a lot others felt was not an ideally habitable lot.
Montana AIA Citation Award - 2006, The Shiland House started as an effort to explore design and construction goals within our architectural office. As such, a group of designers within the office formed an LLC and purchased a small infill lot within the older upper south side of Helena. The goals were simply to show by example that good, affordable, and sustainable design can be achieved in a small home within an established and historic neighborhood. The firm acted as the general contractor as well, and towards the end of construction, installed the bamboo and concrete floors as well as the concrete counter tops and fixtures. The design was a well thought-out three-story plan that focused on economy of space and energy efficiency. Though the lot is only 40 feet wide, it abuts an alley on one side. The firm pursued a variance to push the house closer to the alley in order to provide more space on the south side. The house captures the essence of the neighborhood, maintains sustainable strategies, and shows how an attractive functional house can be placed on a lot others felt was not an ideally habitable lot.