FAIA LEGENDS Gary Payne 2026 ISSUE 2 Member Spotlight Kory Cox
President Clio Rayner, AIA, LEED AP BD-C President-Elect Warren Lloyd, AIA, LEED AP Treasurer Roger Phillips, AIA, CDT, LSSYB, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP Secretary Natalie Shutt-Banks, AIA, NOMA Editor Frances Pruyn, CPSM Staff Executive Director Angie Harris Roberts Managing Director Joe Mangum Reflexion is a publication of the Utah Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. aiautah.org AIA Utah 280 S. 400 W., Ste. 150 Salt Lake City, UT 84101 ©2026 AIA Utah | MBR Connect™, formerly The newsLINK Group LLC. All rights reserved. Reflexion is published quarterly for AIA Utah and is the official publication for this association. The information contained in this publication is intended to provide general information for review, consideration and education. The contents do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. If you need legal advice or assistance, it is strongly recommended that you contact an attorney as to your circumstances. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the AIA Utah, its board of directors or the publisher. Likewise, the appearance of advertisements within this publication does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any product or service advertised. Reflexion is a collective work, and as such, some articles are submitted by authors who are independent of the AIA Utah. While AIA Utah encourages a first-print policy, in cases where this is not possible, every effort has been made to comply with any known reprint guidelines or restrictions. Content may not be reproduced or reprinted without prior written permission. For further information, please contact the publisher at (801) 676-9722. Contents 4 A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT-ELECT Defining the Utah Moment 6 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Kory Cox 8 AIA Utah Scholarship Golf Tournament Help Raise Money for the AIA Utah Scholarship Fund 9 LEGENDS Gary Payne, FAIA 16 Salt Lake City’s Japantown: Can It Be More Than a Historic Footnote? A Plan for Revitalization 20 2026 Legislative Recap: The Sweet Science 22 VCBO Architecture: A People-First, Design-Forward Philosophy 26 Dear Architect 29 Designing for Urgency Utahn Perspectives Shape New Handbook on Urban Design Practice 30 Follow Us on Social Media 3
A MESSAGE FROM... Defining the Utah Moment BY WARREN LLOYD, AIA, LEED AP PRESIDENT-ELECT, AIA UTAH A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT-ELECT Architects do hard things. We are trained to adapt to complex environmental and technological forces, working collaboratively to generate positive outcomes. The real power in our roles in Utah, however, is not in reacting but in envisioning. We are the ones planning, designing and constructing the environments where we live, work, play and worship — all within the increasingly populated yet fragile ecosystem of the Great Basin. We are experiencing what has been called the “Utah Moment.” This is an unprecedented convergence of global forces colliding with our unique local landscape. Over the next decade, Utah must grapple with the physical limits of our natural resources. As the fastest-growing state in the nation, we face urgent challenges regarding water security and housing affordability, further intensified by the geopolitical spotlight of a second Olympic cycle. In this Utah moment, our role shifts. We are no longer just designers of buildings; we are the essential navigators of Utah’s future. We are not just responding to growth; we are defining the resilience required to sustain it. Under the leadership of AIA Utah 2026 President Clio Rayner, the AIA Utah Board continues to focus on Participation, Representation and Partnership. I am excited to build on the great committee work driving this strategy and invite your increased participation in any of these efforts: • Government Affairs: Strengthening our role as a trusted resource in the state legislative process, ensuring the architect’s voice is integral to policy. • Housing Task Force: Advocating for critical reforms, including pioneering code revisions for single-stair buildings to address the affordability crisis. • BEC and COTE: Advancing high-performance building science and climate-positive design to ensure our built environment respects our desert landscape. • NOMA Utah: Mentoring emerging professionals through scholarships, site visits and essential ARE support. • YAF and WIA: Passionately championing the advancement of women and young leaders within our profession. • CRAN: Building on the momentum of the 2023 AIA National CRAN Symposium in Salt Lake, with innovative residential home tours across the Wasatch Front and Back. • UCFA: Dedicated to public outreach and education regarding the built environment, our 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit partner could be an effective tool in fulfilling our goals. On Sept. 16-17, we will gather for our annual conference, “Defining the Utah Moment.” Together, we will explore the arc of professional practice within the convergence of technology, environmental forces and housing challenges. I look forward to navigating this moment with you. 4 REFLEXION
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Kory Cox Time is valuable; why AIA? The importance of community cannot be understated for the balance of the human mind. Our lives are increasingly complex and isolated. When I made the decision to start my own firm, I understood the risk I was taking, psychologically as well as financially. Spending time amongst other motivated practitioners has been my bulwark against the isolation that I knew would be inevitable if I took no action. The AIA brings us together to discuss issues that plague our profession and the state of Utah, and gets me out of the home office to be amongst other architects. I have enjoyed learning from all of you, and I look forward to our next event together. Favorite Utah space, built or natural: When I was in my 20s, I felt an intense wanderlust that carried me far away. I lived abroad for a time, then in Los Angeles. In the end, the Rocky Mountains called me home. I am grateful I had the opportunity to live amongst so many people from disparate places in the world, and I am forever grateful to be able to call Utah home. My wife and I take many opportunities throughout the year to escape the city to go to places where the only sounds are birdsong and the wind in the trees. Nowhere else have I been as close to nature as we are here. I cherish our magnificent backdrop every day. It’s a special place, with a farcical name. The Rocky Mountains are rocky, you don’t say? Honorary mention for Abravanel Hall. In spite of its trick staircase and inadequate bathroom facilities, I spend as much time there as I can. If you have been to Abravanel and have not stumbled on those stairs, then you must possess a supernatural agility that is beyond most of us mere humans. Favorite book: “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card. I’m sure I read it 20 times or more growing up. As I matured, I explored the rest of the series, which requires more intellectual acumen the longer you read. It grew with me, or I with it, as years rolled by. Later entries took a second try in my later teens before I was able to appreciate them. I carried some of the ideas in those books for many years before a more nuanced understanding supplanted them. Mantra: Progress is built over months and years, but may not be visible from day to day. 6 REFLEXION
AIA Utah Scholarship Golf Tournament Help Raise Money for the AIA Utah Scholarship Fund AIA Utah is hosting its annual scholarship golf tournament on Tuesday, July 21, at Wasatch Mountain Golf Course in Midway, Utah. This event raises money for scholarships to support graduate students pursuing an architectural education. 100% of the proceeds go to AIA Utah’s scholarship fund. Register by July 14 at aiautah.org/events! 8 REFLEXION
LEGENDS Gary Payne, FAIA INTERVIEWED BY FRAN PRUYN, CPSM As part of our ongoing series of interviews with architectural legends, we are proud to present this interview with Gary Payne, FAIA. It was a pleasure to interview him, to learn more about his impact on architecture in Utah schools, and to understand all the contributions he has made to the industry. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Gary, when did you decide to become an architect? When I was a small kid, you couldn’t keep me out of a construction project. I would sit across the street and watch them build a new house. When they locked me out, I’d sneak in and unlock a window so I could get back in any time I wanted. So, at a very young age, I realized I was interested in architecture, but in 1976 at Weber College, I started out in business. I realized very quickly that I did not like business at all. My brother-in-law was the sole proprietor of a drafting studio. He needed somebody to step into his office, so I volunteered. They were not pretty projects in terms of skill level, but I loved them. That got me into architecture school at the University of Utah. I took one year off at Gordon Hashimoto’s recommendation. I’m glad I did that because I went to work for Richard Koehler in Park City. I got some valuable experience and then came back into the program for my final two years. What do you remember most about architecture school? It was difficult, very difficult. I remember being scared to death when they told us architecture school would be 24/7. I was on my own and didn’t have financial support from family or scholarships. When I graduated, I had $40,000 in student loans. When I paid that off, I put in a pool to celebrate. 9
I met some good friends, like Neil Richardson, who were invaluable in helping me get through the process. Ted Smith, who was part of Richardson Partnership, taught structures at the U. When I took the ARE exam, the only thing I didn’t pass was structures. He teased me that he had taught me everything he knew, and yet I still didn’t make it. I said, “Well, you should have tried harder.” I finally made it and got my license. I was just ecstatic and continued at Richardson until 1989. What were you working on, and what did you learn at Richardson? I mostly worked on schools. Davis School District was one of our larger clients. At times, it was a little frustrating because the director of architectural and construction services at Davis School District liked to keep things very simple. We wanted to spread our wings and try some different things. Richardson even had a design competition for a school in Kaysville. We presented the winning design to that person at the district. He didn’t like it, so we went back to just the, as Steve Crane liked to say, “kid on a grid” double-loaded corridor school. I loved being at Richardson. I had the privilege of working with Bill Richardson and Neal Stowe, who became the DFCM director, and then, of course, Ted Smith, who was over all the computers. When I was at the University of Utah, we didn’t have computers, and unfortunately, I was always just a few years behind. I hate to say it, but I never learned how to draft on a computer. What did you learn at Richardson that you brought into your later career? They taught me how to use the architectural library, back when it wasn’t all on a computer. There was one fellow there that I would always ask, “How do I draw this or that?” Finally, he got tired of it and said, “There’s the library.” Over time, I think I became the king of the library, and I knew where everything was. They introduced me to meeting with clients on the site. Once, we were designing a library for the city, and I was late for a meeting because I stopped to answer questions on the site. I was really chewed out. I was late meeting the main person in the city, and he didn’t appreciate that. I learned that clients come first. Eventually, I became the client. Davis School District offered me a position as the director of architectural services. Six months later, I became the administrator of facilities management and planning, working for Assistant Superintendent Lynn Trenbeath. She pretty much gave me carte blanche to do what I felt needed to be done. In the mid-‘90s, we brought in Stephen Friedlander, FAIA, from Boston. I had seen him at an architectural conference and was very impressed with his school work. We invited two architectural firms, VCBO and Naylor Wentworth, and the engineers they proposed to join us. For three or four days, we rethought the concept of school design. Up to that point, it had been just what we called an H plan. It had very few windows because of the ‘70s energy crisis, and Vista Education Campus, Farmington Mueller Park Junior High School exterior (top) and interior (bottom) 10 REFLEXION
dark brown doors. That dark brown was a standard paint color. The maintenance department didn’t want to have a different color to worry about. They were the most depressing buildings I’d ever seen. Walking into them would make me just cringe. We took the information from that meeting and developed a new prototype. If I were to rebuild it today, it would be completely different, but at the time, in the late ‘90s/early 2000s, it was really stepping outside the norm. The classrooms went out in wings from the main corridor, and every classroom had large, spacious windows. We learned through the architects’ research the value of natural daylighting — the effects that it had on a person’s psyche and in learning. With just natural daylighting, a student can do 10% better on their test scores. That first prototype had open ceilings. The board was upset that they had given us so much money — $87 a square foot — and we couldn’t afford ceilings. We had to go back and put the ceilings in, which was unfortunate. All that structure and pipework had the prettiest paint on it. Over time, we were able to expose some of the structure of the buildings, and we added more and more glass. For me, the culmination was Farmington High School. It has floor to ceiling glass. This was at a time when school shootings were frequent, and that floor-to-ceiling glass was causing a lot of angst with my bosses and some of the local law enforcement. We brought in a group from Georgia to evaluate the school, and also invited Farmington City Fire and Police. I remember standing outside the building, and the police (chief?) said, “You will never sell me on the safety of this building.” I said, “Wait until you go through it.” After the tour, we met out in the parking lot again, and he said, “This is probably one of the safest buildings I’ve ever been in.” We took 12 samples of glass out to a shooting range. The police couldn’t even breach that glass with some of the tools they had at their disposal. Design goals and challenges? I always wanted children to want to go to school, to not be afraid to go in that front door, and I wanted the media center in the front of the building. In all of the H plans, the media center was buried in the central part of the school and had no windows. Having the media center in the front of the building allows people to see that education is going on without seeing directly into the classroom. They always want blinds to block bright sun in the morning, which makes sense, but we found they wouldn’t open the blinds; they got complacent. We went into a junior high school, and the blinds in the media center were closed to an interior courtyard. My director, Bryan Turner, and I opened all the blinds. We discovered there were bullet holes in the glass. I asked the library director, “How long have these bullet holes been here?” She said, “Well, I don’t know.” I asked, “How long have you been here?” And she said, “Ten years.” “You’ve never opened the blinds in ten years?” She said, “No.” So, we got blinds that diminish the glare, but even when they’re closed, you can still see what’s going on outside. Farmington High School exterior (top) and interior (bottom) Horizon Junior High School, West Point 11
At Creekside Elementary, we had a post-occupancy building with some of the parents. One said, “I love this school. And my son loves this school. The best way that I can bring him in line when he’s acting up is to threaten that I won’t let him go to school in the morning. He loves coming to school.” I turned to the architect and said, “You did it. You made a school that kids want to come to.” I always hoped that our designs would help a teacher feel good about coming to school. If the teacher wanted to be there and the student wanted to be there, then it only was natural that test scores would rise. The legislature did not like what we were doing. They felt like we were building Taj Mahals and that I was building a Taj Mahal to myself. I had to go to the legislature and testify to some of the committees. I also hosted Howard Stevenson, the head of the group over public education, at a tour of one our newer Layton schools. Stevenson was president of the Utah Taxpayer Association. I believe he and some a few other legislators owned, operated and built charter schools, and they were building the typical double-loaded corridor school with sheet rock walls. I believe they were paying about $127 a square foot for those buildings. In the early 2000s, we had built the Layton school for about $30 a square foot less than the charter schools. We discovered good design doesn’t have to cost more. It just means your architect has to think more. We had engineers who really enjoyed working for us because they got to design things — and the things that they came up with were just amazing. Partway through my career, LED lighting started to come out. We started to utilize it. We did ground source heat pumps, and I think Davis School District probably has more net zero energy schools than any organization in the state, if not the nation. That saves the taxpayer millions of dollars. The good news is that we lowered utility bills in the long run by spending a little more upfront on some of these systems. That money was left on the table for salary increases. It benefited everyone. We did a study in the early 2000s to help quiet some of the noise from the legislature. We discovered that our new architectural plans for the elementary were running $5 to $10 a square foot less than the old H plan. Our junior highs were running $10 to $15 a square foot less than the H plans. I attribute that to the architects and the structural engineers through the materials that they used and the way they engineered the buildings. How did you work with architects to learn about the newest school design innovations? I had a very supportive school board and superintendency backing me up. They allowed us to travel to almost every state in the United States. We attended several conferences where we would focus on school design: AIA conferences, the Council of Education, City Planners International and others where they focused solely on school design. Davis School District has nearly a hundred schools and they are getting very old — the majority over 60 years old. Bryan and I had attended a conference in Florida on facility planning. We developed a document that tracks every single school and every element of that school. It took us a couple of years to develop, but that became the Bible for us. When Davis needs to go out for a bond, they use that document to show the need. Whenever we spent money to replace the school or do a major renovation, we referred to the planning document to show why it needed to be replaced. I went back to my office a couple of weeks ago and visited my successor, he had that document up on his screen and he was going through it. Sunset Junior High School
What did you love most about the job? Let me tell you what I liked the least: the selection process. Utah has some of the best architects ever. When we’re trying to select an architect, we try to be as fair as possible. I know some firms felt like we weren’t, but to overcome that, we would select a committee that could outrank us or outvote my director and me, and ofttimes they would. We would vote for them, but we wouldn’t get them because the committee would select someone else. That marketing process is so important, especially if you’ve got a non-expert committee selecting the firm. They’re going to be sold on what the marketers present. I noticed with one of the top firms in Utah, and probably the nation, that the architects were so nervous that they didn’t present well. It hurt them. Selecting architects was very difficult because you always had to call somebody and tell them they weren’t going to get the job and they wanted to know why. My advice is don’t ask why. Just know that you didn’t get it and there’s nothing you can do to change the decision other than make the client uncomfortable, and you don’t want to do that. Just say thank you so much for the opportunity. What I liked best was just the reaction from our students, from the parents. We went to an open house in Clearfield for a new elementary school for an underserved community. When they walked in, their jaws dropped. They could not believe that this was for them. One of the elements in that school was a fireplace with really comfortable seating so that Mom and Dad could sit in front of that fireplace and have a cup of coffee and wait for the principal. It was a homey place. We started putting pickleball courts in, and my boss thought I Sunset Junior High interior Endeavor Elementary School, Kaysville Davis Catalyst Center, Kaysville West Point Junior High School 13
was crazy. But, you know, it’s for the taxpayer — to give them something that they can use and enjoy. What are you most proud of? I wasn’t an outstanding student at the University of Utah. That’s why I took a year off. I needed to get some experience. I had never been exposed to the field of architecture. I knew I loved it, but my dad was a businessman and everybody I knew was in business; I had never met an architect in my life. When I graduated from the University of Utah and was working with Richardson, I knew how to draft and do that kind of thing, but they had offered me an opportunity to become a principal. That really scared me because I knew a principal had to bring in work. And that meant being a stellar salesperson. I was not a salesperson. You tell me no, and I’ll feel really, really bad. So, when Davis School District offered me a position, I jumped at the chance. I learned from that that not every architecture student needs to become Mies van der Rohe. You can also become an important part of the process by being an administrator. Managing costs and discovering that our new design was within our budgets; selling daylighting was very important. Jeanne Jackson helped me with that. I have to credit her because she did a lot of the research. I just read it when she would pass it on to me and then we would implement it together. And now, every time I turn the corner and see Shoreline Junior High School in Layton, I get goosebumps. I think it’s beautiful. And it did not cost an arm and a leg. It was built within a reasonable budget for what school buildings cost. One of the highlights of my career was in 2014 when I was inducted into the College of Fellows. That was just stunning to me. The first year, I didn’t make it. The second year, we tried it again. Jeanne and RK Stewart helped me, and I finally got that letter of acceptance. I took my daughters to the investiture in Atlanta. We had a grand weekend. We flew first class and had a limo take us to the hotel, and that just really lifted me up. One of the jurists told me that it was the best submission he’d seen. My daughter started crying; it was just such a great moment. I owe that to Jeanne; she dragged me along kicking and screaming. I believe I was the first school district architect to be admitted into the College of Fellows. Odyssey Elementary School, Woods Cross Shoreline Junior High School, Layton West Bountiful Elementary School exterior (top) and interior (bottom) 14 REFLEXION
I look back and think I almost didn’t make it that one year I had to take off. I just didn’t know what else I was going to do if I didn’t make it. I just loved doing what I’ve done and met some of the best people. Advice for younger architects? You are going to love the business. It is so rewarding. You get to see what you imagine in your mind. Don’t be discouraged if you’re not the best designer in the office. There are lots and lots of jobs available for architects, so find what it is that you like to do. I kind of wish architecture schools introduced architects to all the different avenues available. I have not sat down at a drawing table since 1989, and I have loved it. I have loved doing what I’m doing and being able to work with the architects. Celebrating four decades of delivering multi-unit and commercial projects across the Intermountain West Pictured: Residences at Sugar Alley EXPERIENCE THE DIFFERENCE Bountiful Elementary School 15
Salt Lake City’s Japantown: Can It Be More Than a Historic Footnote? A Plan for Revitalization I am who I am because of you A place of remembrance and respect A place that thrives over time A place of inclusion — “Japantown Design Strategy & Guidelines” “We had a Japantown?” Valerie Nagasawa, principal at GSBS Architects, recalls the reaction some of her peers had when learning about Salt Lake City’s historic Japantown for the first time. Japantown was not a part of her youth; she was raised in Las Vegas and moved to Utah to attend the University of Utah. After meeting and later marrying Ralph Nagasawa, AIA, however, she came to understand Japantown’s deep significance in the life and history of his family and the broader Japanese American community in Salt Lake City. Her husband’s family owned one of the most well-known businesses in Japantown, the Sunrise Fish Market. That business and many others are no longer around, and memories of Japantown have faded into obscurity for many in Salt Lake City and Utah at large. Japantown’s Rise Japantown today occupies a single street at 100 South, named Japantown Street in 2007. At its peak, however, Japantown occupied nearly 10 city blocks and gave home to over 8,000 people. The majority of Japanese immigrants arrived following the Chinese Exclusionary Act, passed in 1882. Serving as railroad workers, miners and agricultural workers, Japantown quickly grew in Salt Lake City’s West Side, alongside Plum Alley, Greektown, and other rich ethnic communities. In 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, forcing Japanese Americans to relocate to internment camps, including the Topaz War Relocation Center near Delta, Utah. When the center closed in 1945, the population of Japantown tripled as formerly interned Japanese Americans moved in. This resulted in Salt Lake City’s Japantown becoming one of the largest in the United States. From 1907 to 1969, Japantown sprawled from State Street and 700 West to South Temple and 300 South, encompassing Japanese American homes, restaurants, stores, dance studios, a Japanese language school, two Japanese-language newspapers and more. Dawn Noodles, Utah Nippo and Aloha Cafe, the bilingual nature of Japantown, and the significance of having a shared cultural space still live in the memories of Japanese Americans who enjoyed a thriving Japantown. A Historic Demolition In 1969, over 90 Japanese businesses were forced to give up their livelihood Historic photos courtesy of the Mitsugi M. Masai Memorial Japanese American Archive, Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah 16 REFLEXION
by eminent domain as a massive part of Japantown was demolished and redeveloped for the Salt Palace sports arena. Darin Mano, AIA, is a former Salt Lake City councilperson and licensed architect specializing in pro-housing policy and urban design. He says, “This is a piece of a national story. A lot of places we go to today used to be cultural districts. They were demolished during the same period for big sports or entertainment venues like Lincoln Center, Boston City Hall or Dodger Stadium, when they weren’t getting the tax increments that the cities wanted or needed. These are places that used to have cultural districts full of people; Salt Lake City is no different.” Built as part of a bid for the 1972 Winter Olympic Games, the Salt Palace and other developments divided the city, reducing Japantown to its single street and two remaining traces of history: the Japanese Church of Christ and the Salt Lake Buddhist Temple. Current Preservation The Japanese Church of Christ is a Late Gothic Revival building that was designed and constructed in 1924 by E. Chytraus. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and is cherished for its historicity. Somewhat ironically, the distinctly Mid-Century Modern Buddhist Temple was built in the early 1960s to replace an older building, just prior to the decimation of Japantown. In an attempt to assimilate into American culture, the structure was designed with a more “Protestant look,” featuring pews and a pulpit, unlike traditional Japanese temples. Despite losing all of the Japanese-owned and operated businesses along the street, the two churches have continued their Japanese American legacy by hosting festivals on the street. Each year in mid-July, the street is closed for the Obon Festival, which will be celebrating its 90th anniversary this summer. It honors Japanese ancestors with dancing, taiko performances, lanterns, street food, yukata/kimono and Buddhist Temple Tours. Similarly, the street hosts the Spring Nihon Matsuri (festival), adding tea ceremonies, cosplay and cultural exhibits to the programming. The festivals are major fundraising activities for the churches and the Salt Lake Japanese American community, as they attract a broad spectrum of Salt Lake City’s residents and tourists. Seeing Japantown Revitalized For the Japanese Americans still living in Salt Lake City today, as well as those who still remember Japantown as more than just a single street, seeing Japantown revitalized is of utmost importance. Advocacy for preservation has been proceeding in stages since the early 2000s. Community leaders, including Jani Iwamoto and Judge Raymond Uno, formed the Japanese Community Preservation Committee. After more than 40 years of demolition, their goal was to preserve the surviving block of Japantown. Their efforts addressed the mounting problems of protecting the community in the face of encroaching development, difficulty parking and access to the downtown area, issues that continue to impact the operations of the two churches. Despite the rising effort to preserve Japantown, the city expanded the Salt Palace Convention Center in 2006. This action raised community apprehension that the last remnants of Japantown would vanish. Though the Salt Palace remains, Salt Lake City’s Japanese American presence leaves its handprint on its design. As a tribute and memorial to the Japanese community that lived and worked on 100 South for generations, a garden designed by University of Utah professor Gordon Hashimoto on the west side of the Convention Center provides a buffer between the Salt Palace loading docks and the Japanese Church of Christ. The garden honors both the Issei, first-generation Japanese immigrants, and the Nisei, their American-born offspring. The garden also displays a plaque that honors the WWII Nisei Soldiers who embodied the “Go For Broke” spirit. The compact 17
garden utilizes spaces, wind, water and part of a building to display a compact view of Japanese landscape, art, traditions and symbolism. Unity and Progress In 2018, spurred by news of the large Westside Development Plan (SLC Block 67), Japantown activists, again, voiced their concerns that what remains of the historic corridor was threatened. The Salt Lake City Redevelopment Agency facilitated discussions between the community and the developer and, in 2019, engaged GSBS Architects to begin a formal Japantown visioning process with the community to address their concerns and create a plan for the future of Japantown Street. The resultant document, “Japantown Design Strategy & Guidelines,” reflects the participants’ priorities, as developed through a guided, 15-month community engagement process. Stakeholders included members of the Japanese American community, as well as area landowners and their representatives, including private and public interests. GSBS Architects and the Salt Lake City RDA oversaw the process. These participants created a vision statement for the project: “I am who I am because of you” A place of remembrance and respect A place that thrives over time A place of inclusion The design guideposts were to establish: • A place of vibrancy that provides elements that attract people to the area and support commerce • A place of generations, using contemporary and historical design elements that create spaces for festivals and activities for all ages • A place of gathering; a safe street for events that showcase Japanese and Japanese American culture and arts • A place of senses: it includes sights and sounds, textures and smells evocative of the Japanese experience • A place of intrinsic beauty The consultants developed three design concepts for the public right-of-way for the participants to review. The options considered not just aesthetic and design ideas to improve the pedestrian environment and create a sense of place, but also incorporated the critical components of pedestrian and visitor safety, preserving existing on-street parking, accommodating current festivals, and meeting Salt Palace needs for dock access and fire lane access. The community provided feedback and chose a concept that best realizes the vision and design guideposts, addressing functional needs and accommodating daily as well as festival use. Though revitalization focuses on the Japanese American community in Salt Lake City, the success of this revitalization strategy has a greater impact. Valerie Nagasawa says, “It’s a great vision, not just for the community, but for the entire city.” Healthy, diverse communities enrich cities across the U.S., drawing intrigue, commerce and activity, both profoundly and passively beneficial to all. Driving Toward Action The “Japantown Design Strategy & Guidelines” was completed in Spring 2021 and remains visionary, pending funding and the renovation of the Salt Palace, implementation of the Westside Plan, and the massive Smith Entertainment Group-led Sports and Entertainment District. The community is committed to working with the city, county and private developers to find financial and political support for this substantial effort to preserve and improve what is left of the cultural district. In 2023, the Utah Japantown Advocates was formed as a non-profit to host town halls, collect oral histories and engage with the city council to ensure that the community’s positions are presented in light of ongoing development decisions surrounding the street. “It’s not just the physical street in the center of the city; they are representing the history that is bigger than either church, or even bigger than Salt Lake City, if we think of urban renewal across the country. There is a lot of weight on this project. There is so much potential for good,” says Darin Mano. Since 2024, community members have pushed not just for preservation and street improvements, but for an actual cultural revival with Japanese businesses, restaurants, art and public spaces. Marisa Eng, who represents the Utah Japantown Advocates, said that they are taking inspiration from the vibrancy in areas like Little Tokyo in Los Angeles and Japantown in San Jose and San Francisco, which are supported by density and patronage. They are hoping to learn from and share experiences with those communities. Where Things Stand as of May 2026 Working with the Salt Lake City CRA (formerly the RDA) and representative committees of the Japanese Church of Christ, and the Salt Lake Buddhist Temple, GSBS developed the street design concept and placemaking strategy to 40% completion over the course of 2025. The developed design was presented to the CRA Board in November. 18 REFLEXION
Planned improvements — wider pedestrian areas, landscaping, lighting, cultural markers, gathering spaces and historical storytelling elements — are temporarily paused, tied to uncertainty and coordination around the much larger downtown redevelopment effort involving the Salt Palace, Delta Center district and convention/sports district plans. The city describes the project as a phased implementation expected to unfold over years rather than one immediate buildout. The estimated total cost is just over $11 million. A large community-informed mural by artist Cole Eisenhour is scheduled for installation in summer 2026 on the Multi-Ethnic Senior Highrise wall overlooking Japantown. The mural is being framed as the “first visible phase” of implementation. “Where Salt Lake City could really stand out is if we could actually revitalize Japantown,” says Darin Mono. “There are still some elements of that community there, and the public went and invested in that district and were able to bring back a future-facing Japantown. I don’t know of any other community where urban renewal happened like that.” Clearly, a revitalized Japantown is a tall order. As Valerie Nagasawa says, “The people who are called upon to lead this effort have a big weight to bear to continue the legacy of the street. They are small churches and advocacy organizations. Fortunately, the momentum and support have really grown. If any part of this can happen soon, it will be a win.” 10’ 12’ 10’ 32’ 50’ 50’ JAPANESE GARDEN SALT PALACE LOADING DOCK SALT PALACE CONVENTION CENTER 200 WEST 300 WEST JAPANESE CHURCH OF CHRIST JAPANESE CHURCH OF CHRIST STRUVE BUILDING THE CHARLES SALT LAKE BUDDHIST TEMPLE PARKING MULTI-ETHNIC HOUSING PARKING LUMBINI’S GARDEN SALT LAKE BUDDHIST TEMPLE JAPANESE CHURCH OF CHRIST PARKING EV EV EV EV 0 10 20 GRAPHIC SCALE: 1”=20’ 40 60 N JAPANTOWN STREET 19
Perhaps as early as the 3rd millennium B.C.E., evidence suggests, bare-fisted, hand-to-hand combat was taking shape as a sport in Egypt — albeit one played to the death. This early form of boxing was later taken up by the Greeks and incorporated into the Olympic Games circa 688 B.C.E. While the contenders wrapped leather around their fists to protect their knuckles, they still fought to the death (or inability to continue). The Romans co-opted the sport around 400 B.C.E. and added metal-studded gloves to the mix. (Death was still very much a factor, as you can imagine.) By the 17th century C.E., the bare-knuckle revival was in full swing, and the first “rules” were introduced in the mid-1700s. (Death: no longer a requirement!) In 1867, the introduction of padded gloves, three-minute rounds and the 10-second knockdown established modern boxing as we know it. A few decades previously, British sportswriter Pierce Egan described it as “the sweet science of bruising,” and many still refer to boxing as “the sweet science” to this day. I’ll let you draw your own parallels to this year’s legislative session, but suffice it to say that at some point, the gloves come off. The AIA Government Affairs Committee (GAC) has the charge “to promote and enhance the health and safety of all Utahans in the built environment through relationship building, and lobbying of government officials.” It’s a “sweet science” all its own, albeit of a different sort. For the past year, the GAC has been working hand in hand with industry professionals, organizations, lobbyists and lawmakers to improve and occasionally protect the more public professional ecosystem and enhance the private aspects of daily life. Where we’re able, we carefully evaluate 2026 Legislative Recap: The Sweet Science BY SHAWN BENJAMIN BOARD LIAISON, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, AIA UTAH 20 REFLEXION
proposed legislation and debate the merits in the hope of contributing to positive outcomes. Leading up to the 2026 session, the GAC tracked past legislation, trending issues and technical subject matter related to the built environment. We followed interim sessions closely and reached out to legislators and policy makers to engage the process early. We looked for potential pitfalls as well as opportunities to enrich our industry and as a result, our communities. All that effort led to this year’s “Beehive Brawl.” Full of energy and “floating like butterflies,” lawmakers started with their lists of draft bills that ultimately grew into over a thousand House and Senate bills and resolutions to be debated — the “sting of the bee.” A good portion of them faded away as the session progressed, but a majority of those bills survived the battle and became law in the state of Utah. The legislative process can feel like a never-ending bout, sometimes without gloves, but GAC came trained and well-conditioned. We’re fortunate to have an amazing group of architects, industry professionals, lobbyists and relationships that bolster our one-two punch. Our collective, and often behind the scenes, efforts delivered great results for our state, communities and industry this year. The GAC followed several key pieces of legislation throughout the session, including: • H.B. 41: Construction and Fire Code Amendments (Passed). Updates the IWUIC (Wildland/Urban Interface) code to the 2024 version. • H.B. 45: Fire Code Amendments (Passed). Updated the IFC to 2024 and NFPA 1 2024 (chapter 38) - Marijuana Growing, Processing, and Extraction Facilities. • H.B. 65: Construction Code Amendments (Passed). This is the critical update to the 2024 versions of the ICC suite of codes (though it is important to note that the Accessible standards (ICC A117.1-2009) did not change). • H.B. 298. School Design Amendments (Failed). This would have created a design library for K-12 schools but failed to pass out of committee. • H.B. 279: State Facilities Modifications (Passed). This bill provides a path for a public entity to request a contribution, sponsorship or other offering as part of a solicitation. We are extremely concerned about the possibility for abuse and/or misuse, but how this will be implemented remains to be seen. We will be keeping an eye on real-world application. • S.B. 164: School Construction Amendments (Passed). This was the most hotly contested and negotiated bill of the session. In its original form, it would have required school districts to use DFCM project management for all projects, but it ended up as more of a “may use” than a “shall use” bill. DFCM will still be dealing with an associated standards mandate, but other implementation remains to be seen. • S.B. 286: Interior Design Amendments (Passed). This changes the occupancy types that certified Interior Designers can work on. Formerly limited to B and M, this bill opens any occupancy type to certified IDs within the other codified limitations. The things they can do haven’t changed, but the project types have. This is a big change for certified designers but is limited to that segment of the profession. If you’re interested in perusing the other bills that passed, you can access them by scanning the QR code. https://le.utah.gov/asp/passedbills/ passedbills.asp?session=2026GS In addition to and in concert with our lobbying efforts, the GAC sponsored Legislative Day on the hill during the session with a tremendous turnout from both the professional and lawmaker sides of the ring. As a community of sorts, we were able to discuss the concerns and opportunities surrounding our industry, and even offer industry help in future endeavors. In the end, the legislature passed 541 bills and resolutions. While only a few of these will have a direct effect on the built environment, they all affect our shared Utahn experience. Special thanks to all our GAC members and volunteers, as well as to our fantastic lobbyists, for their efforts throughout the session. Don’t forget to keep your gloves up! 21
VCBO Architecture: A People-First, Design-Forward Philosophy INTERVIEWED BY FRAN PRUYN, CPSM Valentiner Architects was founded in 1973 by Niels Valentiner on a wing and a prayer. He had just graduated from architecture school. This is how he remembered it in his Legends interview: “After graduation in 1973, I started the firm right out of school. I took the one-week exam and hung my shingle out on the door: Valentiner and Associates. I had to look important, so I put ‘Associates’ after Valentiner. That’s the problem when you start a firm. You have to look like you somehow know what you are doing. “I must admit I would not recommend starting out that way, right out of school. It would have been smarter if I had gotten more experience — five or 10 years. I had two or three years working for architects that qualified me to get my license, so I had some of that background. I would not recommend that, but that is what I did.” Turns out he was successful: “I had some connections with developers and some others. One of my first real jobs was with a builder in Ogden who was doing a design-build credit union at Hill Air Force Base. That became the first America First Credit Union, and the project turned into a relationship.” And now, over 50 years later, VCBO Architecture is even more successful. VCBO has grown from a small, entrepreneurial practice into a top-performing design firm in the Intermountain West and beyond, delivering impactful, award-winning work. The firm is currently ranked No. 1 in Utah Construction + Design’s Top Architectural Firms (2025) and No. 406 in Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms (2025). In 2024, Engineering News-Record Mountain States named VCBO its Intermountain Design Firm of the Year, underscoring the firm’s continued impact across the region and beyond. In addition to its Salt Lake City headquarters, VCBO serves Utah and the broader region with its St. George office. In 2025, VCBO welcomed FSC Architects — a boutique hospitality planning and design firm — and established a Honolulu office to support its growing Hawaii team. While the firm’s scale, capabilities and geographic reach have expanded significantly over the past five decades, its core people-first, design-forward philosophy has remained consistent. I spoke with several employees about why VCBO survives and thrives, about the culture of the firm, and what the firm feels like in 2026. From sustainability to change and succession, Coreen Crouch, NCIDQ, Principal, Interior Design Leader; David Cox, AIA, NCARB, Principal, K-12 Education Design; Emma Kratz-Bailey, CPHD, LEED AP, WELL AP, Sustainability Coordinator; and Jesse Sherr, AIA, LEED AP, Senior Architect, Project Manager, Associate, address each question from their unique perspectives. Why do you think that VCBO is successful? Coreen Crouch: We are financially successful because our clients have confidence in the designs. And we treat them well. David Cox: We go to school thinking we are going to design cool buildings. Running a business and making it successful is something very different; Niels was a visionary. The firm recognizes that our value is in our people and not our product. David Cox Jesse Sherr Coreen Crouch Emma Kratz-Bailey McKay Complex at BYU-Hawaii 22 REFLEXION
We are laser-focused on our people. Some firms are studio-oriented. At VCBO, teams start with the project from day one to the ribbon-cutting. Our secret sauce is that people become invested in the firm very early in their career, and it becomes natural to become an owner in the firm. We are hired by clients to do what they can’t do for themselves. We protect their backs, and that is a major responsibility. When a client recognizes your commitment to their success, they really appreciate it. You can show some flashy pictures, but that commitment shows up pretty quickly when we are in the trenches. Our first priority is that the client is happy. As a result, over 90% of our work is repeat work. We find the fastest way to turn off a client is nickel-and-diming. We are very cautious in putting together a fee at the beginning. We provide a fee, and then we try not to go back for changes. Because our team stays with the project, it helps us protect that investment in the relationship. Because we are not trying to make our profit on one project, we can look at the longer scale of the relationship. That reinforces their trust in us. What about new clients? Dave: Architects create visual stories for our contractors to make happen. We are part artists and part engineers. Pretty pictures that look nice are not very understandable, and not very helpful, but a good set of drawings that is easily digestible goes a long way. I am very proud when contractors are asked who we should talk to, and a contractor puts our name forward. What is significant about the culture of VCBO? Dave: We are truly a family. We form community groups and mix up our staff to build relationships. VCBO is focused on our staff as our commodity. Employees see that. Emma Kratz-Bailey: VCBO is a good place to work — there really is a spirit of collaboration. People feel safe asking questions, and we are willing to try things and experiment. VCBO encourages people to get to know each other. They establish communities to foster togetherness. Jesse Sherr: I came here after 20 years in the industry and six different firms. We have a people-first approach to our projects and our relationships. That shows in the time that leadership dedicates to our well-being, the resources and room given in terms of workload, and our ability to get to know each other on work time. There is room in our schedules to allow non-work activities. The leaders are very approachable and open to discussions on a deeper level. Coreen: We think of [our VCBO family] and their life goals. They feel that they are benefiting the firm and are appreciated. I started 15 years ago and was very surprised by how well VCBO treated their employees. What does the process and practice look like? Jesse: Before we establish what the building is going to look like, we need to know what its soul wants to be. We want to understand what our clients are like and become ingrained in the culture of the community. We learn about the client and their history. There is a level of care that we are putting into each other, our clients and our buildings that feels exemplary; it feels patient. For instance, when I ask a team member to detail a wall section, I give them the purpose for the details: the best value for the client, stewardship of the client — making sure we have looked for all avenues and not just relying on what has been done before, but what can be done in best practice. We are not trying to develop buildings or products that are run-of-the-mill. Dave: We expanded the effort of quality control. Our Means and Methods Committee meets weekly to address any problems that have arisen. Our quality control person does the code review and will just bleed all over the drawing. As a principal, it is up to us to decide what to integrate. It is all about relationships. Examples? Coreen: There are so many good projects. The Suva Fiji LDS Temple was Zephyr Apartments, Salt Lake City
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