"In a place like Montana, the architecture must be specific to the region and the environment," begins Justin Tollefson, AIA and principal of Pearson Design Group, Inc. "Montana is big sky country. Limestone Creek runs along the valley floor, where national forest meets range land. It's historically been an agricultural area."
Keeping the natural beauty in view and the bountiful landscape in mind, Pearson Design Group created a recreational, residential retreat outside of Bozeman for an extended family of three generations. "In some ways, it meant we had a dozen people as our clients. The architectural style had to be timeless to appeal to all of them," said Tollefson, who also volunteers as the current board president of the American Institute of Architects' Montana chapter.
Our vision is to pursue the emotional, poetic moments that our clients really care about. It's the wow factor, the visual effect, the great views that homeowners want.
He described the Limestone Creek residential retreat's design as "being both a comfortable, modern place for recreation, and a place that has stood the test of time and could have been here for 100 years or more. Our vision is to pursue the emotional, poetic moments that our clients really care about. It's the wow factor, the visual effect, the great views that homeowners want."
"The windows are the feature of the home. It needed to be full of daylight and deliver the intended visual effect," emphasized Tollefson. "They complement, parallel and span the storyline of this house. There are big walls of glass that are 10 feet and higher, and that move and open to the outdoors. At this size, they cease to become just windows."
The windows are the feature of the home… They complement, parallel and span the storyline of this house.
Ultimately, to accomplish the ambitious goals envisioned for this home, Pearson Design Group worked closely with Lohss Construction, and Montana Sash & Door to specify Kolbe® windows and doors. Kolbe's VistaLuxe® Collection WD LINE features narrow sightlines and are combined in multiple units to create large expanses of glass. The extruded aluminum exterior provides low-maintenance durability, while the wood interior provides a warm and organic feel. "The qualities of these products make them well-suited for the Mountain Modern style that's very popular right now," said Chris Lohss, president and namesake of Lohss Construction.
Lohss continued, "It's nice not to have to go to Europe when Kolbe is capable of achieving this high-end look and feel. We're glad to have a local company, with products made in America, that can provide these higher-end modern features, interesting configurations and large sizes."
Pearson Design Group positioned the home's windows and doors to "capture amazing western views of sunset at night, and to provide more intimate, sheltered spaces with views of the foothills during the day. The best views aren't always centered. In the bedroom, under its traditional gable wood roof form, we opened up the room through the corner. If you sit next to the window or in the bed, you have 180-degree panorama of the native creek bed and the ridge line of the mountains."
If you sit next to the window or in the bed, you have 180-degree panorama of the native creek bed and the ridge line of the mountains.
Calling attention to the details, Tollefson noted that "the windows appear to be scribed into the timber-frame structure and inset into stone. This home incorporates reclaimed and new wood on ceilings and floors, interior walls and exterior cladding. Stone also appears inside and out, on walls, floors and pathways. It has a fundamentally agrarian feel created with regional and natural materials."
Creating an essentially seamless connection between natural materials and natural views, Lohss Construction teamed with Montana Sash & Door on the installation of the largest and most complex openings. Examples include: the bedroom's corner direct set windows; the multiple operable and fixed windows units configured and stacked together to connect the indoor and outdoor recreation areas; and the 9-foot-tall, four-unit sliding door that stretches across the living room's 20-foot-long wall onto a stone-decked patio, just steps from the creek.
"When the weather is warm, we want to open up the house to flow between indoors and outdoors," said Tollefson. "Realistically, we have nine months of winter in southwest Montana. Whether open or closed, we want them to be connected to their environment – the windows' performance makes this illusion possible."
When the weather is warm, we want to open up the house to flow between indoors and outdoors.
Providing performance as specified for Montana's high altitude, extreme climate, the Limestone Creek home's windows achieve high thermal performance of 0.25-0.27 U-value. According to Lohss, "In a single winter day the temperature can fluctuate from -20ºF in early morning to 40ºF in the afternoon sun with a constant 72ºF inside. With lesser products, the stress can sometimes lead to problems."
"The success of these projects is a tribute to the relationships between us and Montana Sash & Door and Kolbe. It's a trifecta. From initial drawings to installation there are no hiccups," said Lohss. "I've worked with Montana Sash & Door for 20 years and they are extremely organized throughout the entire process."
The homeowners, they love it. It does what we set out to do.
Also complimenting the project as collaborative success, Tollefson said, "We draw it, but it is a testament to the craftspeople who make it possible. We are fortunate to work with several high-quality partners. It takes a lot of coordination to get it right." He concluded, "The homeowners, they love it. It does what we set out to do."