John Stennis
Principal + Partner
I design in conversation with the land, with craft, and, above all, with the people who will call our buildings home. Summers spent roaming my grandparents’ ranch just south of Jackson taught me how powerfully place shapes experience; that sense of rootedness still guides every project I touch.
My Mountain-West story began in 2004 as a summer intern at Tobler Duncker Architects, the practice that later evolved into GYDE. Nearly two decades and scores of build-outs, adaptive re-uses, and ground-up commissions, have honed an approach that keeps vision and budget, character and durability, schedule and stewardship in constant balance. Highlights range from Basecamp, a derelict gas station reborn as a kinetic community hub, to the award-winning expansion of the Teton County Library, to concept-driven restaurants, boutique hotels, and custom mountain residences engineered for altitude, snow load, wildfire risk, and the watchful eyes of HOAs.
As a principal and partner, I still stay close to the drawing board while guiding our studio’s broader direction. My daily work is about translating early ideas into clear roadmaps, aligning stakeholders inside complex permitting environments, and nurturing a culture rooted in material honesty, environmental stewardship, and genuine client empathy.
Education
Savannah College of Art and Design — Bachelor & Master of Architecture
State Licensure
Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Idaho
Professional Affiliations
American Institute of Architects (AIA)
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
Community Leadership
Board Member, Jackson Hole Land Trust
Former Commissioner, Town of Jackson Planning & Zoning Commission