Helena firm rises to top in City Hall design contest

Mosaic Architecture has risen to the top of the architectural firms competing for the job to design a new Whitefish City Hall.

The city hall committee voted Dec. 19 to recommend Mosaic of Helena. City council will make the ultimate vote on the firm, likely sometime in January.

“I’m convinced Mosaic had the most pleasing design,” committee member Mike Jenson said. “I didn’t see anybody who put as much into it as they did.”

Four architectural firms participated in a design contest aimed at assisting in the selection of a firm for a new City Hall and parking structure. Earlier in the month Mosaic along with MMW Architecture, CTA Architects and the team of John Constenius Architecture and OZ Architects presented their ideas to the committee.

During a meeting last week, the committee met again to evaluate the firms based on set criteria that looked at experience and qualifications. Also included was discussion about the different designs presented during the competition. Based on that process, the committee ranked the firms with Mosaic coming out on top.

Committee member Ross Anderson said Mosaic spent the most time creating a well thought out design.

“They took into consideration the input from our brainstorming session,” added committee member and city employee Necile Lorang.

As part of the competition, Mosaic presented their vision for a City Hall as a brick building accented with large timber. The concept included a distinct entry that allowed for a landscaped courtyard wrapping the corner of the building.

All designs presented during the competition are considered early concepts and the final design will be created through a process of working with city staff, council and the public.

The committee appeared to be intrigued by one idea presented by CTA Architects to create an underground parking garage with a surface parking lot.

Jenson said the underground parking could provide parking for City Hall employees and leased spaces while allowing for future expansion above ground.

“We should vet the process to see about going down one level,” he said.

Committee member Ian Collins said underground parking is inferior.

“I looked at the renderings and saw a big void comparable to what we have at the Spokane parking lot,” he said. “One of the things we talk about repeatedly is connectivity.”

Committee member Bob Blickenstaff said CTA came up with a good idea.

“I’ve always had an interest in surface parking,” he said. “The city should have surface rather than a structure.”

Because city council approved constructing an above ground parking structure they would have to reconsider if a change was made, said City Manager Chuck Stearns. The committee could ask them to look at the underground concept further, he noted.