Behind the Design: Crystal Herzog Preserves the Human Element of Historic Architecture
Pull back the curtain and get to know the people behind the design. The solutions we develop for clients and communities are brought to you by passionate individuals devoted to delivering better built environments — places that support healthy, productive, sustainable ways of living.
Our next #PeoplePassions blog post features Crystal Herzog, a historic preservation specialist in Missoula who works to identify, value, and preserve the human experience behind historic buildings.
What is your personal design philosophy?
I like to approach projects by asking the question, “What’s the essence of this place?” The projects I’m involved in are rarely new builds; there’s a history behind them. I want to understand what the place is about, its significance, how people experience it, and what’s important to maintain therein.
Often times, as designers, we’re modifying or creating things, but with historic preservation, we don’t want to lose the significance of a place. We want to remedy what’s not working and expand upon its potential.
Crystal posing at a drawing table inside Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Tell us about one of your favorite projects.
Currently, I’m working on Legendary Lodge, a property on Salmon Lake that’s owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena. It’s an interesting adaptive reuse of sorts because Legendary Lodge is now primarily a summer camp for middle and high school students. However, when Legendary Lodge was originally constructed, it was Camp Mowitza, part of the Great Camps movement where turn-of-the-century affluent families built their own private, remote, and rustic lakeside camp retreats. The expansive camps consisted of individual cabins clustered around a main lodge building where the wealthy spent their summers in comfort, surrounded by family, friends, and clients.
Camp Mowitza embodied the naturalist values of the time where buildings blended seamlessly into the forest landscape and were constructed of materials that were readily available. For example, cabins were made of logs with bark on them and porch railings fashioned from tree branches. The buildings had bent twig and willow furniture, cedar shingle roofs, stone foundations and fireplaces — all taken from the wilderness nearby. This materiality remains and gives the camp personality and creates a strong sense of place; it’s of the land and surrounding area.
Originally, Camp Mowitza on Salmon Lake in Montana, which is now named Legendary Lodge.
I’m interested in the history of a place; I seek to understand it. I listen to our clients, understand their goals, and then get to merge the two. I also like to think about the human experience. What’s it like to walk down a historic street? How does it feel to enter a civic building? How do we make navigating the public way or the interior of a building enjoyable?
When have your personal and professional passions aligned?
Right now, they align for me! I attended Legendary Lodge summer camp when I was a kid. It means a lot to experience it again, this time as an architect. I understand that the magic of summer camp can be aided by good design.
I’m interested in the history of a place; I seek to understand it. I listen to our clients, understand their goals, and then get to merge the two. I also like to think about the human experience. What’s it like to walk down a historic street? How does it feel to enter a civic building? How do we make navigating the public way or the interior of a building enjoyable?
Architecture is a service. Naturally, we serve our clients, but we also carry an ethical obligation to serve our communities and the public. We work to create a better environment and experience for ourselves and those around us.
Legendary Lodge on Salmon Lake in Montana.
What are some of your passion projects outside of the office?
Outside of the office, I’m a soccer coach for Hellgate High School here in Missoula. It’s fun to be a part of the kids’ season, to see a snapshot of their lives, and encourage them as they work hard together. By high school, these kids have spent thousands of hours honing their skills and it’s rewarding to see their success. I was able to pursue two of my passions by playing college soccer and studying architecture. The fact that I still get to do both is great!
I also have two daughters, Margot and Iris, and I really enjoy their company. We go outdoors and visit the lakes or to the mountains and hike. My partner, Cory, is up for anything. We have fun together as a family and with friends.
Crystal and her children and husband on their travels to the Montana mountains and New Orleans.
A little more about Crystal…
Crystal is an architect with two decades of historic preservation, adaptive reuse, commercial, and civic architectural experience. She’s worked for federal, state, and local governments as well as private clients and non-profit organizations. She has experience working with a variety of grant-funding agencies and privately funded projects. Her expertise includes some of the most beloved buildings in Montana, such as the Montana State Capitol in Helena and Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park.
She’s also active in her community, serving on the City of Missoula Historic Preservation Commission. In her free time, Crystal can be found hiking the hills around Missoula or walking along a historic Montana Main Street.
