Salt Lake architects' gain fame for mountainside homes in Utah's rugged landscapes
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The "Wabi-Sabi" house in Emigration Canyon. Photo: Matt Winquist, courtesy of Sparano + Mooney
A Utah architecture firm is increasingly gaining national exposure for its modern homes in the Wasatch Mountains.
Why it matters: Utah historically hasn't gotten much attention for its residential architecture — even though most other American cities don't have our abundance of stunning home sites.
- Few other major population centers directly abut such dramatic topography. But many of Utah's swankiest hillside neighborhoods are filled with boilerplate suburban homes or McMansions.
Driving the news: A sleek home above Park City by the firm, Sparano + Mooney, was featured earlier this month in the New York Times.
- In recent years, their Utah home designs have appeared multiple times in national outlets like the Times and the Wall Street Journal.
Catch up quick: Founding partners Anne Mooney and John Sparano have both been recognized as fellows by the American Institute of Architects.
- Their buildings are frequently highlighted in the Utah AIA chapter's annual awards.
What they're saying: The firm was founded in L.A. but expanded to Utah "because of the vast, relatively untapped potential for great architecture in this region," Mooney told Axios.
- "Utah is a dream setting for an architectural home," she said.
Zoom out: You can see their homes around the Wasatch Front and Back.
- Here are some of our favorites.
In Emigration Canyon, this house is covered in steel shingles arranged as scales — like on a desert reptile.
- The cladding "was selected for its resilience to fire and its ability to change and patina in a way that blends in really well to its natural mountain context," Mooney said.
At Powder Mountain, this house is inspired by kirigami, a variation of origami where paper is folded and cut.
- The zinc siding has "standing seams" (ridges like you'd find on a metal roof), making the outside appear pleated.
- Take a look around.
The 9th and 9th "Man Cave" also caught the Times' notice for its dark but serene seclusion in the middle of Salt Lake City.
To explore one of Sparano + Mooney's works yourself, the best bet is St. Joseph the Worker Catholic church in West Jordan.
- The main church celebrates Mass daily — but the can't-miss feature is the adjacent day chapel. It's generally open to worshippers from 8am to 7pm Monday through Friday.
The intrigue: This was the firm's breakthrough project in Utah, winning multiple state, regional and national design awards Mooney said.
What's next: Keep an eye out for their art museum and research center at USU in Logan and Utah Tech University's new performing arts hall in St. George.
- Both are scheduled to open this year.