8 REFLEXION | 2022-23 | AIA Utah Located along the Wasatch Fault in a quiet suburban neighborhood in Salt Lake City, this home explores the natural and human-made relationship. The home is on the east bench of the Wasatch mountain range near the University of Utah, and two prominent natural features immediately inspired the team as design opportunities. The first, Emigration Creek, is located directly to the east of the property, ingratiating the site with the sound of running water throughout the year and becoming stronger in the spring during the run-off season. The organization of the home on the site was established to capture the sound and view of the creek through an “L” scheme configuration. The home opens up to the east to embrace an auditory connection with the natural, and careful studies established the use of vertical and horizontal sun shading for maximum seasonal solar efficiency. Additionally, the client had a keen interest in designing the home so that it would not only withstand but also remain largely intact, should a seismic event ever occur. Careful analysis of the Wasatch Fault — the second natural feature to help shape the design of this home — revealed that the site is actually located very close to, or directly above, the fault line itself. A clear shift in the volume delineating the public and private spaces along this axis was integrated into the home to acknowledge this force of nature. The structural design of the home was elevated to the same category as a school or Emigration Creek Sparano + Mooney Architecture AIA UTAH 2022 HONOR AWARD
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