SCULPTURAL LIVING

But Saaranin is not at the tip of the tongue when Kenneth is asked about mentors and design greats. “Louis Kahn,” he says, without missing a beat, referring to the noted late, great architect who taught at Yale and designed numerous memorable projects. Indeed, the VanDeWalle residence reflects Kahn’s love for letting the weight and materials of a building shine.

In spite of the visual references to Saaranin and Kahn, the VanDeWalle home is a true original. But Kenneth didn’t ignore his Western surroundings. In fact, the house has a vague barnlike feeling as a result of the curved barrel roof and rather masculine, handcrafted recycled steel details. Additionally, the gray exterior — the color of river rock and Big Sky country’s storm clouds — blends in seamlessly with its surroundings. The soft, smoky color makes a statement; and although Ken certainly wants his house to stand out among the rest, the deep, quiet exterior surface color is understated. The structural steel elements allude to the neighborhood’s industrial leanings with the decrepit historic train depot to the north and a bustling lumberyard to the east, among other businesses.

When asked how plans for their home began, Ken’s wife, Kristin, replies, “We started with an empty lot on the north side of town, at that time, an up-and-coming neighborhood. We wanted an “urban-rural” space,” she says.

They started small, with a structure built of reclaimed timbers and hand hewn wood, the building now houses Ken’s and Kristin’s offices — she runs her own successful business, ArtZ, a collection of clever, high-end albums, scrapbooks and keepsake containers. Later, they added the 2,200-square foot house, connecting it seamlessly to the studio on the second level. The second phase of the process is where Ken’s
architectural talent sparked. A 750-square foot workshop for Ken completed the compound. Every inch of the house has his personal stamp, from the four-tiered fireplace hood that radiates heat throughout the surprisingly voluminous space, to the built-in furniture in the kitchen.

The couple embraced the concept of an über modern design for their home; Kristin, who has a degree in industrial design, shares Ken’s Modernist aesthetics. When it comes to city living, both believe that “…the way to decrease suburban sprawl is
to increase urban density, ” says Ken. So, by living near Main Street, the family can cycle together, walk to schools, events, local restaurants, and be an active part of the community at a moment’s notice.