Montana State University                                                 Community Design Center
School of Architecture                                                      Projects Fall 2009

School of Architecture continues to engage its context through its Community Design Center

Montana State University School of Architecture continues to serve the people of Montana by reaching out to non-profit organizations and government agencies to provide visioning, planning, and conceptual design through the Community Design Center. Currently, Adjunct Assistant Professor Tom McNab oversees the activities of CDC and can be reached at tmcnab@montana.edu

CDC was established in 1976 and fosters a collaborative interdisciplinary community/university partnership approach to research and design of the built environment that serves the people of Montana.

Fourth year Architecture students participate in the Center’s activities each semester where they learn to manage their own projects and determine appropriate design proposals, research methods and production schedules with the assistance of the faculty advisors.

The students bring fresh ideas, creativity, and enthusiasm to the process, while respecting their clients’ insights and the unique character of the place they are working.  This results in architectural solutions that respond to both the physical and cultural landscape producing in-depth research and a design uniquely responsive to the client’s needs and aspirations. (More information on CDC is available here)

 Please click here to see the ongoing Fall 2009 Studio projects.

Municipal Swimming Center Study, Forsyth, Montana
 The City of Forsyth approached CDC to look at energy use at their pool.  The project includes evaluation of existing energy use, evaluation of various energy conservation measures, analysis of usage, developing strategies to encourage more community support, and sustainable strategies to use day-lighting and solar gain to enhance the character of the facility and energy use.

Neighborhood Visioning project, Bozeman, Montana
The Northeast Urban Renewal District has a master plan developed, but was interested in exploring how it might influence future growth of the neighborhood.  CDC work includes existing conditions survey, parking evaluation, pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular circulation routes and strategies, studies of how parking and circulation are influenced by on-going state highway work and the changing mix of light industrial, commercial, residential, and historic occupancies occurring in the area.

Urban Demonstration Project (MUD), Missoula, Montana
MUD was formed almost 20 years ago to explore sustainable living on urban sites.  They provide technical information for urban dwellers and demonstrate the techniques on their property in northwest Missoula.  MUD asked CDC to look at a long term re-development of the site that would include sustainable living spaces, urban gardens for food production, on-site energy production, on-site capture, reuse, and treatment strategies for rainwater, grey water, and black water,                                         plus facilities to support their office operations.

Rails to Trails, Lewistown, Montana
The city of Lewistown has recently acquired all of the rail right of ways within the city limits along with a number of associated properties.  They have a trail plan in place and have developed part of the system.  CDC was approached to look at the trail system and prepare a development master plan for the trail, associated properties, and three specific areas that they are considering re-developing.  This document will be used to seek funding to further develop the trail system and maintain it over time.

For more information about the School of Architecture Community Design Center Click here