Lakeside nonprofit architectural firm earns award based on its service mission

A Lakeside-based architectural firm recently received a major award recognizing its service-driven mission.

100 Fold Studio was named the 2022 Large Firm of the Year Award by the American Institute of Architects Northwest and Pacific Regions. The award is the highest honor a firm can receive from the professional organization.

The company notes it’s one of the only architecture firms in the world where aspiring architects can complete their full path to licensure while serving entirely in the nonprofit and mission sectors.

John Hudson founded 100 Fold after being invited to design a master plan for Youth With a Mission (YWAM) in 2009. Since then, Hudson and the architects at 100 Fold have been collaborating with the Lakeside YWAM and connecting with global communities to provide high-quality, affordable designs in Cambodia, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, and other developing nations.

“Everybody has a gift and we should use those gifts to serve others,” said Hudson. “For some of us, it's in our hometowns, and for some of us, it's on the other side of the world, but no matter your vocation, you have something to contribute, and it can be inspiring and beautiful.”

According to 100 Fold’s award submission, their hope is to “demonstrate the love of God to all people of all nations, races, ethnicities, and beliefs.”

On a local level, 100 Fold has partnered with YWAM, the Boys and Girls Club of Columbia Falls and the Flathead Reservation. The company’s global projects include a hospital in Sierra Leone, an agricultural center in Haiti, and a university in Cambodia that boasts a soccer field used by many locals.

“We worked for a project in Cambodia and it was very important for them to have a large park with a soccer field. For a small fee, the public can come play there and they have like 500 to 800 kids playing soccer and many of them are all women's teams which is rare. They literally have a spot on the field,” said Hudson.

100 Fold practices sustainability and exhibits social justice within its projects by designing buildings that are energy efficient and creating greater accessibility for people with disabilities.

“We’re creating great spaces for education to allow women and people in disadvantaged communities to access things like business skills and art, and at the same time we’re reducing the energy cost for that nonprofit or ministry, so it's a double win for everybody,” said Hudson.

Hudson also believes in designing buildings that reflect a particular country’s lifestyle and aims to combine innovation, efficiency, and culture.

“We’re not imposing something that's American or Western on them, but actually responding to what they want. They don't just want a box. They want something to reflect their culture and that inspires,” Hudson said.

The firm’s architects are trained in a way that teaches them to “talk less and listen more” as each project should be a reflection of the nonprofit's needs and values.

“We've heard from nonprofits that when people walk onto these campuses or into these buildings, they feel like they are invited into it because of the way that the architecture is and they feel like they have a God-given sense of self worth,” explained Hudson.

Hudson voiced his desire for continued partnership with other organizations who desire to care for their communities.

“If anybody wants to partner with us, they can come visit our office,” he said. “The things that we learn and have access to here in Montana, we want to share with developing countries.”

A complete list of 100 Fold’s projects can be found on their website at 100foldstudio.org. For more information, contact the company at info@100foldstudio.org or call 406-709-3021.

Reporter Summer Zalesky may be reached at szalesky@dailyinterlake.com.