The Frederick Quinney Lawson Ballet West Academy sought a more accessible location for their new building than their downtown site. Muir Architects evaluated a potential location on Wilmington Avenue in Salt Lake's Sugarhouse neighborhood. Set along a quiet, neighborhood-scaled street with Hidden Hollow Park behind, the site is primarily pedestrian in nature while still providing convenient vehicle queuing and drop-off access.

The design utilizes optimal solar orientation: studios feature full-height, north-facing windows overlooking the park to provide unbiased cool blue light, while studio entries and pre-class waiting areas with benches and cubbies benefit from southern exposure, bathing the space in yellow light and providing passive solar warmth during winter. The first level houses administrative offices, which serve as security control, along with student support facilities like locker rooms, a library, and a dance supply store. The façade incorporates a screen wall to provide shade and privacy for the studio levels, while allowing for transparency and engagement with the street. The building's character directly responds to the site, ensuring the design emanates from its location and is activated by use and the passage of time.

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