three pavilions define the wasatch house by olson kundig architects

in salt lake city, utah, olson kundig organizes its ‘wasatch house’ into three discreet pavilions. separating the home into these pavilions creates a closer relationship between architecture and nature, with the landscape weaving around and under the home’s public and private spaces. the more formal, public-facing rooms are housed in the first pavilion, where an entry box leads to a living room and a library. secret bookshelf doors on either side of the library’s fireplace open to reveal an office with a custom blackened steel desk. dark, rich materials — including fumed oak casework and floors and a bronze fireplace — transition to lighter, warmer materials in the central pavilion, which houses the kitchen, dining and family rooms.

all images by matthew millman

in the family room of olson kundig’s ‘wasatch house’, a hand crank lowers a window wall to guardrail height. large sliding doors open the corners of the family and dining rooms completely, connecting them across an outdoor terrace. a custom built-in grill, firepit and banquette seating extend the home’s livable space out of doors during the temperate utah summers and shoulder seasons. steps lead down from the terrace through lush native landscaping to an open-air pool house where a 40-foot-long cantilever shades the deck. in the pool house, a hand-cranked bi-fold door retracts to reveal a kitchenette, with changing rooms and an outdoor shower.

the third pavilion contains the master suite and three children’s bedrooms, connected to the central pavilion via an enclosed, elevated walkway. views of the oquirrh mountains to the west and wasatch mountains to the east informed the home’s orientation, particularly the master bedroom whose roof bears a small ‘kick’ that provides an unobstructed view of mount olympus. throughout the home, exposed timber ceilings and exterior overhangs and an interior palette of deep reds and greens are inspired by salt lake city’s forested landscape.