excerpts from Montana Living
Winter 1999
"ON A WING AND A PRAYER"
What's known as the "Osprey House" on Flathead Lake is one instance where the design idea came first - then he though about how to carry out the construction. This home spans over 7000 square feet and loosely resembles a winged creature taking flight from rocky outcrop near Angel Point, overlooking Flathead Lake and facing the Swan and Mission mountains.
"We weren't tryaing to be literal in the translation, but wanted to pay respect to the wildlife of the area overall," Smith says.
With 30 foot tall windows facing out of the home, there is the sense that you're literally on the ouside - inside. Light from these feather shaped windows permeates the home. Custom iron railings resemble flowing grass. They are all elements that Smith and the owners of the house used to create the atmosphere he had in mind when he designed the "Osprey House".
The Osprey project features many thick, curved beams, some of which run from the basement to the ceiling. That's why the house was framed by a boat builder.
Smith is becoming more well known among builders for his innovative designs, but he's also done more traditional buildings, like an addition to Muldown School in Whitefish and portions of Kalispell Regional Hospital.
Smith enjoys the architect-client relationship. It's one that is balanced by trust, communication, and respect for the environment. "The design part of this isnt one-sided," Smith says. "The client has a great deal to do with this. It's a real communicative kind of thing.
"If I were a good poet, I could just speak my designs to a builder and he could carry them out. Everything is here. You just have to be open and receive it.