If you’re like us, you can’t get enough of the innovative architecture showcased in Michael Upwall Design’s new Sugar House office building. So, in addition to featuring it in the pages of our current issue, we’re thrilled to share the following online-only shots of the dynamic building.
The sloped roofline of Michael Upwall Design’s new office (above) is just one of the structure’s memorable elements. “The whole roof is solar powered, and a lot of the times, we have no power bill and give back to the grid,” says owner and owner Mike Upwall.
A large patio sits at the west end of the structure, where eye-catching specimen trees, a custom fountain and open space provides a serene place for the Upwall team to view and choose projects’ exterior finishes and features in natural light.
Once comprised of many small rooms, the building is now open and light-filled. “The openness makes communication so easy,” says Upwall, whose team thrives in their new digs.
Partially covered by foliage, cantilevered arbors reach out from the building and extend outward over the cobbled drive connecting the east and west ends of the property.
As seen from the street, the new structure sits tranquilly among the mix of bungalows and small buildings lined along 1100 East in Salt Lake’s Sugar House neighborhood.
A cedar-slat ceiling appears to float over the interior space courtesy of walls of paned glass that enclose much of the 2,800-foot workspace. “We wanted to create an open studio environment, Upwall explains.
Fireballs blaze in an eye-catching fireplace located in the building’s entry area. “The fire is wonderful,” says Upwall. “From outside when it is snowy during the winter, people walk up to check out the ribbon of fire. It is very welcoming.”
Hand-selected crimson-red maple trees create focal points throughout the property’s landscape, including two that frame steps leading into the entry.
Custom desks feature steel bases that mimic the cantilevered design of arbors extending outward from the building.
See more of this office here! Photos by Scot Zimmerman
