Ballet West Conservatory
Salt Lake City, Utah

The Frederick Quinney Lawson Ballet West Academy was in search of a location for their new academy school building that could be more accessible for students than their downtown location. Muir Architects evaluated the feasibility of a site on Wilmington Avenue in the Sugarhouse area of Salt Lake.  The site is a bucolic setting along a neighborhood scaled side street and the Hidden Hollow Park behind. The street, while being primarily pedestrian in nature, provides easy vehicle queuing and drop off.

The design provides an ideal solar orientation where studios are equipped with full height north and park facing windows with unbiased blue cool light, while the studio entries and preclass waiting areas with benches and cubbies, afforded south exposure bathed in yellow light providing passive solar warmth on winter days. The building includes first level administrative offices that act as security control for the school as well as school support like locker rooms, library, and a dance supply store. The façade consists of a screen wall that gives shade and privacy  for the studio levels while more transparency and engagement with the life of the street. The building character is derived from a direct response to what the site would suggest. Thus the design emanates from location and activated by use and the passage of time.

Design Principals: Prescott Muir & Lisa Arnett
Project Architects: Prescott Muir