Project: Emigration Creek / Location: Salt Lake City, Utah / Architect: Sparano + Mooney Architecture, Salt Lake City / Photos: Matt Winquist Photography
Sparano+Mooney Architecture designed the Emigration Creek residence to facilitate aging in place and for intentional living, a popular wellness term for consciously living one’s values. Per the homeowners’ request, this 4,500-square-foot new build in the suburbs of Salt Lake City also incorporates energy- and water-saving solutions, while drawing inspiration from its natural surroundings.
Located near the Wasatch Mountains, the home is configured to respond to both the opportunities and challenges presented by the site. Its L-shaped layout maximizes views and sounds of the eponymous Emigration Creek adjacent to the property. And in a nod to the Wasatch Fault, which runs under the home, the architectural massing situates a change in volume along the fault’s axis to differentiate the public spaces from the private spaces.
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Because the area is seismically active, both the architecture and structural system were engineered to withstand its volatility. Sparano, which has offices in Salt Lake City as well as Los Angeles, has extensive experience in dealing with extreme topographies. For this one, the firm worked with Wright Engineers to design a structural system that goes beyond that the code of a school or hospital so that the residence could function as a safe harbor for the family.
With sustainability a priority for the homeowners, the house is equipped with several features that have reduced energy consumption by 80 percent and resulted in a 55-percent water reduction from baseline. These include a 10.6kWh photovoltaic array, expandable to accommodate increased need in the future; two Tesla Powerwalls in the garage; and a 160-gallon water bank providing potable water during interruptions to the municipal water supply.
In addition, passive design strategies— such as the home’s orientation and an abundance of windows, along with their placement—ensure plentiful natural light and natural ventilation. The careful deconstruction of an existing structure also allowed the design team to incorporate salvaged building materials in the construction of the home.
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A material palette consisting of vertical board-formed concrete on the base and vertical Kebony wood rainscreen cladding on top lends the home’s geometric forms an earthiness. Made of thermally treated radiata pine–a rapid-growth softwood–the latter does not contribute to deforestation, is durable and will age into a soft gray color to match the concrete. Both materials are also low-maintenance.
Similarly, concrete floors and white gallery walls throughout the interior enhance the minimalist aesthetic, while oak ceilings, doors and millwork, as well as blackened steel on a hearth, impart warmth.
Flexibility built into the floor plan enables the homeowners to remain in the house long-term. When necessary, the main level can be separated from an accessible lower level, which can then be converted into a separate, fully functional apartment for aging in place.
“The clients have now occupied their home through each season and report a great sense of well-being from the audible and visual cues of nature, as well as the home’s passive design,” the architects say.
Alice Liao is an editorial consultant and freelance architecture and design writer. The former editor of Kitchen + Bath Business magazine, she lives in Teaneck, N.J.
