EMIGRATION CREEK RESIDENCE

The home is located in a quiet suburban neighborhood on the east bench of the Wasatch Mountain Range near the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, and explores the fragile relationship between the natural and the constructed. The site includes two prominent natural features that immediately inspired Sparano + Mooney Architecture 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 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. Additionally, the client had a keen interest in designing the home such that it would not only withstand, but also remain largely intact, should a seismic event ever take place. 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 dormant fault line itself. The architects oriented the home along an axis using cues from the site conditions including its history, topography, vegetation, sights, sounds and light. The fault line is projected onto the home creating a tangible shift in the architectural form and massing. A clear shift in the volume that delineates the public and private spaces along this axis was integrated into the home as an acknowledgment of this force of nature. The entry and driveway are aligned with the site grading and the private spaces of the home are elevated as the organization of the public and private program zones shift with the form. This shift occurs at the mullion of 14’ tall structurally glazed windows that are echoed on both the north and south sides of the home. The structural design of the home was elevated to the same category as a school or hospital so that it could function as a refuge for this family. 

The home boasts an 8 KW solar panel array and two Tesla wall batteries in the garage. The architecture makes use of durable and low-maintenance materials including a vertical board-formed concrete base that has been meticulously modulated and detailed to align with the pressure-treated vertical Kebony wood rain screen cladding above. This design detail required coordination of the siding tradesman with the concrete subcontractor at the concrete foundations stage of the project. Located adjacent to a creek, the home opens up to the east to embrace an auditory connection with the water. Careful sun studies established the use of vertical and horizontal sun shading elements for maximum seasonal efficiency using passive design principles. The design also included indoor/outdoor entertainment and dining areas with a patio and pizza oven. This home incorporates a R-38 wall system, high-performance windows, a ground source heat pump system for radiant heating and cooling, and is designed to include a roof-mounted solar PV array.