Architect Anne Mooney and her partner John Sparano completed their 4,000-square-foot, Z-shaped home, described as the Wabi Sabi Residence, in Emigration Canyon, just outside Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2020. The house, built on a nine-acre lot in the Wasatch Range, reportedly cost $3.9 million. It features two cantilevered volumes clad with blackened-cedar siding, designed to float above the landscape and offer panoramic views of the canyon and mountains.
The design of the Wabi Sabi Residence is heavily influenced by the Japanese aesthetic of Wabi-Sabi, which embraces imperfection and simplicity. The home emphasizes sustainability, aiming for LEED Gold certification, and incorporates a high-performance exterior envelope, natural ventilation, and a vegetated roof with local grasses. The use of FSC-certified Western Red Cedar Select for exterior cladding minimized waste, with material lengths selected to fit standard sizes, and construction waste was also minimized through modular design and careful material selection.
The home optimizes its axis to capture views of natural and urban landscapes, with the north volume housing private functions and the southwest volume holding public gathering spaces. This project is a collaboration by Sparano + Mooney, with Anne Mooney and John Sparano involved in the architectural team, and Living Home Construction as the contractor. Their work on this residence reflects their commitment to integrating homes with their natural surroundings while adhering to sustainable practices and an aesthetic appreciation for natural, aging materials.
