Above: Recent Architecture 118 Team photo. Shown in center: Principals Scott Stroh and Scott Hedglin.
A Handshake Approach with Architecture 118
STRONG FOUNDATIONS
by Molly Kordares
In 2004, Scott Hedglin started Architecture 118 for a very simple reason: he wanted to build a house for his family. “My wife and I designed the whole thing together,” he recalls. “She worked for a mason at the time, and instead of a Christmas bonus she asked for their help laying our foundation. A lot of what we did back then was like that — we traded, we shook hands, and that’s just how business got done.”
Twenty years later, Architecture 118’s portfolio boasts a wide scope of work, from bespoke custom homes to large commercial facilities, but that folksy ethos has not changed. Architecture 118 is now among Bozeman’s most versatile, nimble, and respected firms. Its team of seven has more than 120 combined years of experience, and they design both residential and commercial projects all over town. Despite the firm’s growth, Hedglin says that the handshake approach to doing business is still what’s most important. “We just want to do good work for our clients, and not worry about all the other stuff.”
TEAMWORK
“I love working with Architecture 118 because they value what we do and they value our design input. With a lot of architects, it’s ‘my way or the highway.’ These guys aren’t like that. They are open to changes, aren’t big-headed, and trust our professionalism in the field.”
–Shane Lutey, Lutey Construction
Hedglin may be one of the principal architects at Architecture 118, but he shrugs off that title as quickly as he can. “A lot of companies focus on their principal architect, and that person’s thoughts and opinions end up mattering the most,” he explains. “But I depend on every single person here for ideas. It’s very much a group effort. There’s no one person calling the shots.”
Mike Wiseman and Ryan Rigard are two of those team members. Wiseman, a project architect, says he enjoys how most work at their firm is done in a collaborative way. “We’ll do a lot of charrettes, a lot of group brainstorming and sketching. We try to encourage that to keep the ideas flowing, and to keep people from getting stuck.”
Rigard, a project manager, agrees: “You can get tunnel vision after looking at something for a while. So when you have someone with fresh eyes looking at it, you get a much better perspective.”
Hedglin says it all boils down to the fact that “our team is better as a group than we are as individuals.” This also allows for a lot of flexibility when it comes to their building designs. “A lot of firms have a set style, and that’s fine,” he says, “but that’s not how we operate. We can do contemporary, we can do traditional, we can do spec houses, or we can do custom homes.” Architecture 118’s portfolio ranges from a $100,000 outdoor kitchen and patio to a $28 million community center.
“We really try not to impose a style on someone,” adds Wiseman. “Design is a very personal thing. So getting an understanding of the client and the way they live and the function of their house— that helps us create a design that really speaks to them. The house should really be a reflection of them, not us.”
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
Teamwork at Architecture 118 doesn’t just happen in the office— you’ll find it out in the field as well. “We pride ourselves on working really well with our contractors and subcontractors,” says Hedglin. “We get to know them and we try to understand and respect what they do in the field. On the projects we’re running, we’ll bring in the engineers early on to get their ideas, because all of those systems and parts and pieces will eventually be part of the final solution. Knowing that information up front rather than reacting to it later will prevent future delays.”
“We pride ourselves on working really well with our contractors and subcontractors. We get to know them and we try to understand and respect what they do in the field. On the projects we’re running, we’ll bring in the engineers early on to get their ideas, because all of those systems and parts and pieces will eventually be part of the final solution.”
–Scott Hedglin, Partner, Architecture 118
Rigard notes that most of their team comes from a construction background, which helps them have a credibility with builders and subcontractors that other firms may not enjoy. “Because of my construction background, I can tell when a difficult design detail will cause complications,” says Rigard, “and I can talk that through with the builders. They really seem to appreciate that.”
“I consider myself a builder who happens to have an architecture degree,” says Hedglin. “So when we can step back into our roots and help the builders with a practical solution rather than watch them suffer, that’s a good project.”
Shane Lutey, the manager of Lutey Construction here in Bozeman, couldn’t agree more. “I love working with Architecture 118 because they value what we do and they value our design input. With a lot of architects, it’s ‘my way or the highway.’ These guys aren’t like that,” says Lutey. “They are open to changes, aren’t big-headed, and trust our professionalism in the field.”
Another contractor was so happy with Architecture 118’s work ethic and work quality that he and his wife asked the team to design a house for them near Triple Tree. “I enjoyed that one,” recalls Hedglin. “They set a few guardrails for us, but mostly they just gave us a blank slate.” Hedglin says his favorite part of the house’s design was actually the drive up to it. “Because of the size of the lot, we were able to play around with the approach. We found cool ways of teasing views of the house as you got closer without giving the whole thing away,” he says. “There aren’t many lots like that in the Valley, and we really showcased what they had.”
“We were designing a space that would host everyone at the company— from executives to tradesmen. They all needed their own spaces, but they also needed to be close. It was a really challenging project but a really fun one, too.”
–Ryan Rigard, Project Manager, Architecture 118
WORD OF MOUTH
Architecture 118 doesn’t do a lot of traditional advertising. “We haven’t pursued a job in years,” says Hedglin. “Everything we get comes to us through word of mouth.” The entire team lives in the Bozeman area, and that’s where you’ll see most of their work as well. Commercial clients include the city of Bozeman, Bridger Aerospace, the Ridge Athletic Club and Montana State University. “We really like this community and feel like we are a part of it because of all the various projects we’ve done here,” says Wiseman.
One commercial project the team is especially proud of is the new Williams Plumbing and Heating building. The project— a massive 72,000-square-foot building with three stories— was designed to consolidate all of the existing Williams properties scattered across the Valley into one flagship facility. The Architecture 118 team worked alongside Williams to show off their innovative energy systems in their own new building, instead of hiding mechanical systems and ducts behind walls or ceilings. “We were designing a space that would host everyone at the company— from executives to tradesmen. They all needed their own spaces, but they also needed to be close,” says Rigard. “It was a really challenging project but a really fun one, too.”
Another challenge that Architecture 118 enjoys is having a budget. Hedglin explains: “To me, having a budget means we are dealing with real world people and not people with so much money they just want to one-up their neighbor.” He adds that a tightly monitored budget also helps their firm stay grounded and smart when it comes to clients’ money. “I’ll tell clients on day one that if you have a two-million-dollar job, then I have two million questions for you. Because I am responsible for every dollar we spend.” Rigard adds that having a set budget also pushes the team to come up with creative solutions, rather than just throwing money at any given problem.
“We really take the time to understand what it is our clients want. And the more we listen, the more we can meet their expectations.”
–Scott Hedglin, Partner, Architecture 118
“We really like this community and feel like we are a part of it because of all the various projects we’ve done here.”
–Mike Wiseman, Project Architect, Architecture 118
Ask all three men why they like their jobs, and the common throughline is that they really do love building things. Houses and businesses, of course, but they also love the relationships built along the way. “A lot of these projects can take years,” says Rigard, “and many clients also end up becoming friends.”
Hedglin says that the most common feedback his team receives is how good they are at listening. “We really take the time to understand what it is our clients want,” he says. “And the more we listen, the more we can meet their expectations.” The team at Architecture 118 strives to always see the people behind every project, because doing so helps them reach their ultimate goal: an exceptional level of service—and one that still comes with a handshake and a smile.
