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Kootenai Ranch

Emphasizing environmental stewardship, this family compound captures expansive views across a 1,200-acre ranch in the Bitterroot River Valley of Montana. It is not used for profiting from the land in terms of agriculture or livestock but as a place to be at one with the landscape.

The home is a progressive ensemble of vernacular forms and textures that blend seamlessly with the lowlands along the Bitteroot River. Inspired by western pole barns as well as rustic cabins, layers of local stone and timber comfortably balance large fields of glass that engage the landscape.

The organization of the compound derives from western ranching traditions, such as working proximities and protection from the elements. Placed around an informal courtyard, each building is designed to engage a different natural aspect of the site.

Completed

2001

Location

Stevensville, Montana

Project Size

9,985 SF

1,200 Acres

Primary Scope

Architecture and Interior Architecture

Interior Finishes and Furnishings by Luis Ortega Design Studio

Primary Materials

Stone, Corten, and Log Timbers

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