Michael wanted to be an architect since grade school, and luckily for him, New Trier High School in the Winnetka suburb of Chicago offered drafting and architecture classes. This early experience confirmed his passion, and he went on to earn a Bachelor of Architecture from Montana State University, allowing him to pursue his three passions: Architecture, Skiing, and Cycling.
Most of his non-working life has been dedicated to skiing and cycling. During college, all of his extra time was spent trying to keep up with his buddies on the Ridge at Bridger Bowl or the trail rides of the Spanish Peaks and Bridger mountains. Two and a half seasons were dedicated to backcountry skiing with his dog, Seamus, and his late 20’s and early 30’s were spent visiting most of the Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and California ski resorts with his Father during vacation and free time. Having to transition from an average of 80-100 days a year, down to 30-35 as he supported and raised a family was an even trade off, given that teaching his son and daughter to ski and snowboard are his most valued ski memories. It was this love of skiing and mountains that drew him to a clientele who also want to pursue the mountain lifestyle.
Working at multiple firms in Bozeman while earning a degree, rustic and log home design was the first architectural language learned from his mentors. Having spent a decade in the west, he moved back to the Chicago area to learn additional architectural styles with a strong emphasis on traditional and contemporary. Being versed in multiple styles enhances his enjoyment of cross pollinating the best of each into one project.
Many architects spend their careers pigeonholed into just doing one aspect of the architectural process: client relations, design, working drawings, construction management, etc. Michael prefers to be involved in every stage from preliminary design to final walk-through as he views every project as an opportunity to collaborate with the owners and contractors to create homes that are as personal, meaningful, and unique as the people who live in them.
With his family raised, the opportunity to lead a more balanced lifestyle has finally presented itself, and there is a good chance that in his non-working hours you will see him cycling the steep road climbs of the Big Sky area regardless of the season or weather, playing guitar, teaching himself how to play the pedal steel guitar, photographing landscapes, people, and architecture, or skiing a few early runs on powder days before he heads into the office. The common thread through his hobbies is that they are both very technical and creative at the same time and require combining the two for the most success, just like architecture.
