Behind the Design: Kendrick Ostergaard Brings a Conservation Ethic to His Work

Behind the Design: Kendrick Ostergaard Brings a Conservation Ethic to His Work 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 Kendrick Ostergaard, a landscape architect out of our Helena, Montana, office who enhances his design projects with his deep and familial connection to plants and nature.

What is your personal design philosophy?

As a landscape architect, the designs I help create are ever-changing. We never really have the same site layout and it’s always a different scenic area, but we do use a lot of the same principles from project to project.

Much of what I focus on is environmental, such as water conservation — which is critical, especially in the climates we work within, such as the Mountain West and Texas. I try to minimize the use of irrigation, select the proper plants for the climate, and utilize plants that may not even require watering.

Other than that, it’s important to me to focus on the client’s needs and improve on that in the realm of either cost-effectiveness and/or efficiency. I enjoy finding that balance of affordability, sustainability, and environmentally friendly solutions.

Kendrick, back row and third from the left, and the Helena office pose for a team photo.

Tell us about one of your favorite projects.

One of my favorites was the Montana Heritage Center in Helena, Montana. Being part of that project was fascinating because the design of the exterior was meant to mimic the surrounding Montana landscapes from across the state. The purpose of the center is to highlight Montana’s history and culture, including the diverse ecosystems throughout the state. And I believe we did a really good job of that.

We were thrilled to have so many people support the project. The center received many donations and was a work in progress for years. So we tried to be precise and all-encompassing with the landscape to honor that community-backed vision and history. We were also able to achieve LEED Gold certification on the building. Because of those achievements and being able to help our client realize their vision, this was one of the most beneficial projects for learning and one of the most exciting experiences I’ve had as a landscape architect.

Montana Heritage Center in Helena, Montana

Another of my favorites is JR’s Park in Boise, Idaho, a project that has grown into something greater than it was originally. At the beginning, it was planned as a place to store and display antique tractors within a park experience. Now it’s evolved to further include a museum, event space, and an interactive landscape filled with whimsy and encouragement of exploration.

The site and buildings are quite unique in form, and this has been (and will continue to be) a great opportunity to utilize different materials and techniques of grading and design. The site is very round, oval, and sometimes wavy in nature, which we don’t see every day. The way the buildings correspond to the surrounding plazas, hiking trails, and park exhibits is very interesting. And beyond the buildings, this treatment extends to areas like the parking lot itself. Instead of focusing on a traditional parking lot, we’re making it a bit more visually appealing and dually or alternatively functional in that way.

Much of what I focus on is environmental, such as water conservation — which is critical, especially in the climates that we deal with, like in the Mountain West and Texas. I try to minimize the use of irrigation, select the proper plants for the climate, and provide plants that might not even require watering.

Renderings of JR’s Park on Simplot Hill in Boise, Idaho

When have your personal and professional passions aligned?

They align almost constantly. If I had to pick a specific instance, it would be a high-end residential project I worked on. I was out hiking with my family, and we noticed several different streams and plant materials, which I then used as inspiration for a beautiful residential design.

My family and I are very into being outside and in nature. It’s cool because I can incorporate what I see when I’m out hiking, biking, and engaging in other outdoor activities into my design projects. That’s been wonderful for adding to my catalogue of planting designs. Being able to source native and natural plantings in projects is where passions from my personal and professional lives intersect for me.

What are some of your passion projects outside of the office?

Anything outdoors! I live in Montana, so I’m a hunter during those seasons. Other than that, my wife and I (who are both landscape architects) work on our home landscape and planters. We lovingly fight over who gets to do what when it comes to putting plants in the ground.

We also just had our first child. So right now, we’re mainly trying to get out and about with her. We want to explore Helena and the surrounding areas. That’s been our main focus: to have as much fun with her as possible outside of the house.

Kendrick and his Helena colleagues, sketching on his iPad, he and his wife Melody and daughter Abigail, and he and his dogs Odin and Rye

A little more about Kendrick…

Kendrick is a third-generation landscape architect who’s married to a landscape architect, too! His family history has given him immense respect and appreciation for natural landscapes. He strives to incorporate the best of the outdoors into every design. He enjoys using and building upon his knowledge of the natural environment to accomplish the needs and desires of every one of his clients.

Kendrick holds a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Utah State University and enjoys being outside with his wife, child, and dogs: hiking, fly fishing, and camping. He’s also a skilled blacksmith and loves to use his hands as he creates work from start to finish.