Quarry House

Park City, Utah

Living with wilderness in a sheltered landscape

Emerging from its mountainous setting, the Quarry House derives its inspiration from the geological processes which surround it. During the home’s excavation process, contractors unearthed a 400-foot-long bedrock vein. Eyeing its potential, the landscape architect conceptualized a bold vision where the natural formation would be celebrated, becoming an integral element of the landscape design.

To achieve such a feat, Design Workshop worked in close collaboration with geotechnical engineers, contractors and surveyors to expose and record the stratified layers of bedrock. Careful observation, when combined with specialized tools and hand-crafted techniques, transformed the escarpment into a poetic and sculptural backdrop for the home and garden. Beyond its artistic value, the feature shelters outdoor living spaces, challenging slope conditions, and defines the physical extents of the garden. When combined with a cultivated planting design derived from the conditions of the site, the project represents a model for contemporary gardens in the Intermountain West.

Working with a team of geotechnical engineers, contractors, and surveyors, the landscape architect exposed the cross-stratified layers using specialized tools and hand techniques, turning an eyesore into a prominent visual feature that shelters outdoor spaces, reconciles challenging topography, and defines physical boundaries of the garden. The jury applauded the prodigious use of stone and vegetation to articulate the outdoor space of the house as well as integrate the architecture with the landscape architecture. – National ASLA Professional Awards Jury

Services Provided: Site Analysis, Zoning & Land Use Approvals, Site Planning, Conceptual Design, Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Documents, Permitting, Bidding/Negotiations, Construction Observation, Grading & Drainage Plans, Landscape Architecture