Legacy Project Portfolio

As an educational building still used today to train future architects, the Art and Architecture Complex acts as a skillful teacher and an active participant in the pedagogic process. The design - relatively rare architectural style for the state of Utah - is a locally important example of Brutalism, a style of Modern architecture characterized by structural expressiveness, raw materiality and functional articulation. A highly organized spatial plan is a direct reflection of the design of the building’s concrete framing: a tartan grid of concrete post-and-beam defines zones of circulation, studio workspace and mechanical. A monumental structure composed of concrete, brick and cedar paneling, dramatic textural differences and natural colors of the materials express a local materiality - adapting international modernist principles to the context of the Intermountain West.

EDA’s design for the Main Public Library introduced New Formalism to the region. Located opposite City Hall, the library complemented its neighbor’s ornate architecture while symbolizing the city’s future aspirations. The library was more than just a building; it was a cultural institution designed to endure. It housed over 700,000 volumes, a fine arts department, a rare books collection, a 500-seat auditorium and parking for staff and visitors. The use of locally sourced materials, such as precast concrete panels, ensured durability and thermal efficiency. The building’s distinctive feature, the integrated sculpture "Songs of Innocence" by Jo Roeper, highlighted the entrance, representing an early collaboration of modern art and architecture in Utah. A staple in the community, upon the the construction of a replacement library the citizens rallied to ensure the structure not be demolished, resulting in it housing the The Leonardo Museum,

Serving as the gateway to this unique 30,000-acre state park on the shores of the Great Salt Lake, it introduces and transitions visitors to the lake and the island. The timeless award-winning design, rooted in the concepts of regional modernism, follows the northern ridge of the island, complementing and emphasizing the power of the natural landscape. We used site topography to anchor the building, creating a modernist building which integrates itself into the local landscape. Comprised of cast-in-place architectural concrete and salvaged timbers, the center is evocative of the island’s sparse flora and rocky geology. The exhibit area includes a central room running the entire length of the facility as well as a multipurpose room used for films and lectures. Both have carefully framed views of the island Great Salt Lake and mainland. The roof frame for the central portion of the structure employs exposed timbers salvaged from the 12-mile railroad trestle, which spanned the northern arm of the Great Salt Lake as part of the Southern Pacific Railroad’s Lucin Cutoff. The recycled redwood and fir timbering adds to the heft and feel of the visitor center, as do the exposed infrastructure, the highly articulated joints, and smooth concrete slabs. Throughout the building there is an easy juxtaposition of natural and artificial materials.

Beginning in February of 1997, we worked with the Salk Lake Organizing Committee to develop a Master Plan for the Utah Olympic Park - the site of the 2002 Winter Olympic Venues for ski jumping, bobsled, luge and skeleton. Our planning effort included support facilities for the existing bobsled track and two new ski jumps: a K-90 and K-120. While the Olympics comprised just a 17-day period in 2002, we designed the facilities to provide a permanent state-of-the-art facility for on-going training and future international competitions. Planning for the two jumps included evaluation of the existing topography based on the desire to lower the inrun (the start structure) and the landing hill into the existing grades in order to protect the jumpers from cross winds. The inrun structures are a maximum of eleven feet and a minimum of four feet above grade. The two jumps are in a parallel configuration allowing for the efficiency of common outrun area. The start houses of the two jumps are connected with an elevated steel circulation spine which simplifies access between the two jumps, with a three level, 3200 SF Judges Tower serving both jumps.

The design for this Utah Winter Sports Park three-story building takes advantage of the site’s exceptional mountain and adjacent EDA-designed 2002 Olympic Ski Jumps and Bobsled Track views. Its siting, massing and materials provide a dynamic, captivating presence. Housing the Alf Engen Ski Museum and the George Eccles Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum, its spaces include several meeting rooms, conference halls, administrative offices, a gift store and auditorium

Home to the second-largest Catholic parish in Utah, the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church is the keystone building of the Skaggs Catholic Center. With a modern campus built to serve a young and rapidly growing congregation, EDA provided the parish a design that reflects the historical and environmental context of the site, while celebrating the traditions of the Catholic Church. Program elements include a modified basilica design with a rectilinear nave, 800-seat worship space, a large bell tower and several chapels. To reflect the environmental context of the Salt Lake Valley, the building incorporates local masonry and a copper-sheathed roof to create a warm, weathered patina consistent with the religious landmarks of the Catholic Church.

A focal point of the Magna community and adjacent to EDA-designed award-winning Magna Community Swimming Pool, our environmentally sensitive design enhances the surrounding park. The center design allows for maximum flexibility, multiple uses and adaptability to meet the changing needs and interests of the community.

Pivotal to the success of the design is our solution for the separation of the public, staff and prisoner circulation and ensuring the safety of all participants in the judicial proceedings. Our Initial Site Selection, Master Plan and design solution provided the County space for the Sheriff Administrative Department, 100-bed jail with support services, a comprehensive dispatch center, and a single court room shared between the State and the County.