SCULPTURAL LIVING

FORM, FUNCTION AND CRAFTSMANSHIP. Letting materials speak for themselves. The omission of unnecessary ornamentation. These are only a few of architect Kenneth J. VanDeWalle’s priorities when designing a home. As a result, his family dwelling in Bozeman is a true manifestation of his design philosophy.

Like a life-sized portfolio, the industrial-inspired VanDeWalle house is an interactive model of the architect’s passion, pallette and perspective. The home is an example of good, Modern design for a family of four near the center of town. It is a visual divergence in a locale where log cabins, farmhouses, restored Victorians, and bungalows are the norm. A cookie-cutter home? No way. But neither is the VanDeWalle home modern for the sake of being modern; its integrity, style and function appeals to the eye.

A mansion on the mountaintop this is not. Instead, the rather modest (in size), urban, energy-conscious dwelling is a contemporary dream house not only designed by — but to a large extent built by — the architect himself. “I hired a plumber, an electrician, and a mason to pour the fireplace foundation. Other than that, I did a lot of the work myself,” says Ken, who learned basic building skills growing up in Wisconsin from his carpenter father. Ken went on to earn an engineering degree during his 10-year stint in the Marine Corps. Later he completed yet another degree, this time a bachelor of arts in architecture from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. He relocated to Bozeman in 1995 and has built a reputation not only as an artisan, but also as a professional with a clear architectural vision of what is important for the town’s future growth.

The VanDeWalle’s ultra-chic structure nods to various classic design and structural motifs. For example, the smoky gray-green exterior color is reminiscent of traditional Renaissance Florentine stone, yet it’s actually Cempo, a dense material made of recycled Styrofoam, which provides excellent insulation. And to some, the dynamic curved steel bow trusses nod to Eero Saarinen’s famous TWA terminal at New York’s JFK airport.