A mixed-use building that balances public and private life

Although housing was the greatest need in a bustling Bozeman neighborhood, zoning restrictions required a new building to include mixed residential and commercial uses. Here’s how the architect came up with an award-winning solution.

When Doug Minarik, AIA, of Minarik Architecture, Inc. began designing the Block 106 project in Bozeman, Montana, the challenge was to create a building that would maximize the amount of housing while complying with zoning restrictions. Here’s how he managed those constraints and created a design that balances the needs of residents and business owners alike.

Loading component...

Balancing public and private needs

On the ground level, Minarik designed for as much “exposure as possible” to activate the commercial space and make it attractive to passersby. Commercial tenants have two or three walls of windows, and he made the courtyard on the ground floor more inviting by placing it in a space where one side of the building angles inward. Although the two sides are parallel, one side is set at a 90-degree angle to the street and the other is set slightly back from the street and askew to it. This creates a more intimate space that’s in contrast to the airy courtyard upstairs.

There, the courtyard faces away from the street so the angle splays outward opening up to mountain views and offering an opportunity to bring in more sunlight. Residents access their units from a hallway that borders this horseshoe-shaped space, and each unit has its own balcony that’s carved out of the mass so neighboring outdoor spaces aren’t abutting. These cut-ins and internal courtyards also allowed the opportunity to place windows on perpendicular walls so there’s an abundance of natural light but no loss of privacy. “You can look in multiple directions and never see your adjacent neighbor,” Minarik said.

Loading component...

The feedback Minarik most consistently gets about the building is just how much people love the natural light provided by the many windows. Business owners can connect with their customers and residents are at home in their “own private world,” as Minarik put it.

This project was a runner-up in the 2022 Andersen Bright Ideas Awards presented in collaboration with Dwell magazine.

Get inspired by more projects Explore our tools for architects
Architect