ArtZ’s unique studio is located in Bozeman, Montana. We are part of a mixed-use neighborhood of industrial, residential buildings existing together, with both the foothills of the Bridger Mountain Range and our vibrant downtown just a few blocks away.

 

Being a designer and having an architect for a husband, we live and breathe design. We have designed our work and personal life to coincide in unison, yet separately. Thus, we have designed our home and work space to be located in the heart of our favorite place and joined together, to create efficiency of time at work and at home.

 

Our studio is an inspiring place that is flooded with natural light and a spectacular view of the Bridger Mountains. The first floor of our studio is an industrial workshop where my husband, Ken creates prototypes of furnishings, fixtures and structural details for his clients. Ken & I share the large vaulted space of the second and third floor lofts, part, for his architecture office, and part, as ArtZ’s design, work and inventory space. A special feature that our children love to show-off is our industrial lift elevator for moving shipments into and out of the studio. The studio has been designed to be part of our home, but not to be part of our home life – so, when it is time to work, we can work; when it is time to be at home, our workspace seems very far away.

 

Efficiency has been Artz’s mantra in how we run our businesses and in how we manage the studio. For several years, we have been asking ourselves how can we design our products, make our products, market our products, store our inventory, and ship our products as efficiently as possible. This allows us to spend more time with our customers and reduce the amount of time required for inefficiencies.

 

As well, we continue to find ways to be good stewards of the environment and reduce our costs in maintaining a sustainable studio and home. ArtZ has created efficiency of space and storage by consolidating multiple uses to create a minimal footprint vs. the use of traditional, separated spaces for office, storage, assembly and shipping. We have created an energy efficient space using 10” thick walls made of recycled styrofoam and concrete, a roof structure made of recycled beams from dismantled warehouses of the Northwest, in-floor radiant heating with supplemental heat from wood and solar. In the summer, we use the process of nighttime flushing to keep the space at a comfortable temperature. Clerestory windows create indirect, diffused lighting, with minimal need for additional lighting during the day. We recycle and reuse as much as we can and continue to challenge ourselves to conserve and to purchase quality, American or even locally made products vs. inexpensive, poor quality products that end up in the landfill much too quickly.

 

My husband Ken VanDeWalle, is well versed in creating inspiring spaces with unparalleled attention to the layering, rhythm and details of a space. His designs are true to the materials’ inherent strengths and characteristics. The contemporary form and shape of his designs are uniquely communicated with an industrial craftsmanship. His buildings are naturally and fundamentally sustainable through the innovative use of materials, creation of spaces, site placement and application of natural and applied uses of alternative energy. If you would like to learn more about his work, check-out his website www.architectureindetails.com.