Distinctly Montana Magazine

Rightly so. It is profoundly unimportant to me to have a great number of projects. That has been precisely the problem over the last few decades: too much construc- tion and far too little thoughtful design. Where do you find joy in your own life beyond your work? My son Tristan, who is 4 ½, has lately been drawing hotels — very intricate collections of geometries in a variety of colors that just flow from pen to paper. Paul Klee spent most of his life attempting to draw as a child, and Tristan has succeeded. We won't ask you who your favorite, living Montana architects are but can you tell us which structures are great, historic examples of architecture in the Treasure State? Because Montana is a young state, we do not have great stone and glass towers as seen in places like Chicago and New York. What we do have are historic ranches, such as Grant-Kohr's Ranch and Hat Creek; the ubiquitous western storefront, the sun dried brick of our University buildings, the Sears Bungalows that line the streets of Bozeman and Butte, and the ruins of whole communi- ties of historic structures, now become ghost towns. I admire the boiler plant building and Hamilton Hall at MSU. One can see Purcell and Elmslie's work in the resi- dential Heitman House in Helena. The most stunning example of innovative design with local materials is Old Faithful Lodge in Yellowstone Park. The architecture of the national parks, often called Parkitecture, contrib- utes to our inventory of great buildings, from the Banff Springs Hotel to Glacier's McDonald Lodge. The railroad contributed to the rise of great depots such as the one in Livingston and Whitefish, as well as significant hotels such as the Baxter and the Bozeman. Our great buildings are of an intimate scale in a vast landscape; beauty can take form on any scale and any building type. What we see in Montana is still the grand spaces and the big skies. Architecture is merely a footnote, but one that is profound. Call us the "reluctant editors," as we are hesitant to bring this discus- sion to a close. What final words of advice would you have for aspir- ing architects now matriculating through our university systems? Rudolf Arnheim writes: "Beauty, perfection, harmony, and order do serve to give a sense of well-being by pre- senting a world congenial to human needs." My suggestion and hope for students of architecture is continue to study human nature and the classics, travel, read and then build something with your own two hands. Do beautiful work! Keith Anderson has practiced architecture for nearly 30 years. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Arts and a minor in Philosophy, then from Montana State University in 1983 with a Masters in Architecture. He started his career in Jackson, WY, where he designed numerous homes, including one for Harrison Ford. He then moved to the east coast, where he was a partner at Harriman Associates in Maine for six years, designing award-winning public buildings. He also spent five years as a Senior Design Architect and Partner at a 250-person firm in Minneapolis, followed by more award- winning public projects while with Gensler Architects in Houston, TX. Following his dream to move west, Keith joined Pearson Design Group in Bozeman, Montana, in 2003. As Senior Design Architect, he designed over 30 custom homes at the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky. With 28 years of experience working for other firms, Keith decided in 2011 to open his own architectural firm in Bozeman. He is currently focused on residential and resort here and around the country. Keith views architecture as a form of fine art that is lived in. His e-book, The Reluctant Architect, is available through iTunes and Amazon. KEITH, OWNER OF KA ARCHITECTURE, CAN BE REACHED AT 406-223-2946; www.keithandersonarchitecture.com. www.distinctlymontana.com 63

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