rock canyon
a family home designed around a 100-year walnut tree
In the shadow of Squaw Peak, at the mouth of Rock Canyon, perched on a mountain bench overlooking Utah lake, our clients found what local arborists believe may be the oldest walnut trees in the state. This was the original homestead of the region and the original homesteaders undoubtedly enjoyed the fruits of these trees.
The home was custom designed expressly for its young family. Each room takes advantage of floor to ceiling windows that drink in light and frame views of the lake below. Clerestory windows create frame connections to the surrounding towering mountains.
The roof top deck is shaded from the west sun by tall trees and gives a place for evening repose under the sunset lit mountains of the Wasatch range. It also reveals the photo-voltaic array that allows the home to be run entirely on clean solar energy. LED lighting, super-tight and super-insulated walls and ceilings, passive cooling, and radiant heating help keep energy use to a minimum - great people and a great location make a great home.