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Press
Women Building Idaho
A Profile of Six Women Architects
by Catherine Sewell
Women architects in Idaho are a rarity. Consider this: In 1990 of all the licensed architects in Idaho only 10 were women, close to 4%. Today the number stands at 40 our of 430, still less than 10%. While this represents a significant increase, it is still greatly lagging behind the national figure of 18%.
The work of Idaho's women architects is broad-ranging—from preservation to urban planning, residential to commercial, academia to volunteer. They reach beyond the societal preconception that a woman's ability and position within the field of architecture is limited to interior decoration or residential design.
A common thread exists for six women architects in southwestern Idaho: a commitment to architecture and an attraction to the state. Not only are they doing work they love, but living in Idaho, they've found a higher quality of life than they would find elsewhere.
Donna Hartmans grew up in upstate New York and made her way out west to attend Montana State University where she received her Bachelor of Architecture. After working for several years at a small firm in Montana, she decided to pursue a Master's Degree in historic preservation at the University of Oregon.
Following graduation, in search of sunshine and a small town, Hartmans and her husband found their way to Boise and in 1995 she co-founded Arrow Rock Architects with fellow friend and architect Libby Hill. Today she continues preservation work thorough the state and was recently awarded the position of architect for the State Capitol restoration.
Hartmans is passionate about preservation and has a sincere appreciation for the craftsmanship and materials used in historic buildings. "Historic buildings are the best examples we have of an architecture that was built by craftsman and tradesman through the use of wonderful, valuable resources and architectural styles that present a rich and colorful past that we will not see again," states Hartmans. She adds, "Buildings are the physical documents of our history, once they are demolished all that is left is the written history."
Having her own firm allows her to do other things such as yoga and cross-country skiing. For Hartmans and Hill the decision to start a partnership came at a time when they both wanted the flexibility to pursue their individual interests.
An East Coast native, Libby Hill earned her degrees from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Her first job was working for a small firm in Houston doing ecclesiastical, educational and residential projects. Several years later in Houston, she and her husband founded Hill Architects.
In search of a wonderful place to live, where they could practice architecture, raise a family and also enjoy outdoor activities, they cam to Idaho. Hill then worked as an architectural consultant until she and Hartmans formed their Arrow Rock Architects partnership. Hill's husband joined the firm in 1997.
Hill's education at RISD gave her an architectural background rooted in art. For her, architecture as are and form and the importance of context, are critical. She believes that in responding to the site and style, the building creates "a design that will speak for itself."
