31 Jul Round Up: Noteworthy: Bozeman’s Studio Cohab receives AIA award for its thoughtful design of a shared living space

Studio Cohab, a design firm in Bozeman, focuses on creating innovative, sustainable spaces, including cohousing developments designed to encourage connection and community living. Their work is guided by the belief that housing plays a vital role in people’s well-being, and that thoughtful design can create opportunities, strengthen relationships, and contribute to a more equitable housing future. Rather than viewing each project as simply another residential development, the firm approaches design as a way to positively impact the people who use these spaces.

Studio Cohab was recently celebrated for building a Bozeman Cohousing project that addresses housing affordability while also creating a space for Montanans that honors their values of privacy and autonomy.

Photo by WHITNEY KAMMAN

The firm received the American Institute of Architects’ Community- Engaged Design Award during the AIA Conference on Architecture & Design in San Diego on June 10. Judges for this prestigious award consider whether a project is sustainable, durable, innovative, affordable, and socially impactful. It has been 20 years since a Montana firm won an AIA National Housing Award, and it’s the first time the AIA has selected a project in Montana built by a firm based in Montana.

“Our practice is founded on trying to reinvent the way we live together,” says Erik Bonnett, head architect and co-founder of Studio Cohab. “In the West, we face a lot of challenges related to housing affordability, and that’s a big part of what we were trying to address with cohousing. We wanted to create a model that is more harmonious, more ecological, and ultimately provides housing people can actually afford. Having that work recognized on a national level is really exciting.”

“I’m most proud that the people who live there now have a fantastic community that supports their needs and interests,” he adds. “We were able to create something beautiful while also supporting those larger goals.”