Wildlands Development Transforms Northeast Bozeman with Sustainable Design

The Wildlands Development, a mixed-use renovation and expansion in Northeast Bozeman, Montana, is a finalist in the 8th annual GRAY Awards in the Mixed-Use Development breakout category. The project was designed by 45 Architecture & Interiors, and its goal was to fit seamlessly into the surrounding neighborhood.

Care went into enhancing public walkways with custom fabricated seating, new landscaping, and large soffits that provide shelter for community gatherings. The building steps up to its three-story height as it moves away from the street, creating a more natural transition from the one- and two-story buildings nearby. Regionally appropriate materials like brick and wood siding were used, and murals on the façade tie into the area, which is known as an artistic part of Bozeman.

Design details that fit the neighborhood

Wildlands was conceived as a connection point within a growing neighborhood that wanted to keep its sense of community. The Scandinavian modern aesthetic of the building mirrors how city life meets outdoor adventure. The project fundamentally changed the site: what was once a typical parking lot with several curb cuts now has an enhanced streetscape with landscaping, custom seating, and a semi-public covered plaza.

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Parking was moved to the rear, split between an enclosed garage for residents and an open lot for customers of the bakery, deli, and other commercial tenants. A breezeway cuts through the ground floor, giving pedestrians access to Peach Street and the development’s shops. Upstairs, residences have large covered decks and expansive windows to take advantage of views. Each unit includes premium features such as a fireplace and European-made cabinetry.

Reuse and sustainability features

The development is a reuse and adaptation of an existing building. It was designed to protect and insulate residential spaces while ensuring the neighborhood can use common areas like the covered plaza and lower-level storefronts, which also reduce solar heat gain. Inside each unit, Energy Star-rated appliances, programmable thermostats, and Low-E insulating dual-pane windows with argon are installed. The highest-efficiency furnaces — 98% efficient — were used in every unit, each with a modulating, variable-speed fan to manage energy use.

Low-VOC paints were used throughout the interiors. A VRF heat pump system provides cooling and heating to common spaces, along with a heat-recovering ventilator that captures energy from exhaust air to pre-condition incoming outdoor air. The exterior uses steel and low-maintenance Kebony-modified wood siding, which is sustainably harvested. Landscaping includes drought-tolerant and water-smart plants, and the residential garage has one EV charging station with four additional EV-ready stalls.

For the people who will live or gather here, the complex doesn’t just add housing and shops — it creates a new social anchor in a neighborhood that values connection. The plaza and breezeway turn everyday errands into chances to run into neighbors, and the design keeps the area from feeling like a typical development. That kind of human-first thinking is rare in infill projects, but the firm made it central to the plan.

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Challenges during construction

The plan was an exercise in problem-solving.

The infill site had tight property boundaries, and two food-and-beverage anchor tenants remained open throughout the entire construction period. It also sits within the Bozeman Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District, which meant the design had to be evaluated for appropriateness within the Northeast Neighborhood, a historic area north of Downtown Bozeman.

Upon completion, the structure fits naturally into the property and was immediately adopted by the community as the gathering hub for art, entertainment, and conversations — exactly what the architectural team intended.