How to Select an Architect for Your Park City Home
Working with an architect to design and build your dream home could represent one of the most important decisions you will ever make affecting your quality of life and enjoyment of your space. As such, who you choose to design your dream home matters. We encourage you to take the necessary time to reflect on your values and your vision as you carefully select the right architect for your Park City home. While doing this consider the value in getting things right during the all important design process and finding the right partner to help every step of the way. We hope you find Sparano + Mooney Architecture is worthy of your consideration.
Park City, Utah is a wonderful place to build a home. The people are friendly, the community is active and supportive, and the amenities are plentiful. And of course, Utah's famous mountain environment is among the most spectacular in the world. Building here is unlike building anywhere else. Steep terrain, heavy snow loads, special codes and regulations, unique daylighting and seasonal considerations are all things to think about in planning a new home in Utah.
To make your dream come true, you need to partner with an experienced architect that shares your vision and has the background, skills and knowledge to help you see that vision through. So how do you select such an architect?
1. LOOK BEYOND PROPERTY VALUE
The whole point in hiring a Park City architect is to help you plan and design your dream home. But your dream home will be more than just a building resting on a piece of land. It is an extension of you. The home you realize should contribute to its context and add value to the life you live. As such, look beyond mere property value. Look for lifestyle value as well. Your Park City architect should be able to grasp the vision you have for both the architecture, its interiors and the life you envision. The process should involve research, site studies and 2D plans and 3D modeling exploring ideas and options that will spark new ideas for the home design. The vision you have for your Utah lifestyle will also influence the forms and spaces your architect designs.
2. LOOK AT SPECIALIZATIONS
Like doctors, architects tend to have specialties. Somewhere in the area is an architect whose training and specialty is exactly what you are looking for. Here at Sparano + Mooney Architecture, one of our areas of expertise is understated and beautifully contextual mountain modern homes. Also known as mountain contemporary architecture or mountain modern design, this is a form of design that focuses on creating contemporary custom homes that exist in harmony within a mountain environment. This design approach emphasized forms and materials that reflect and respond to nature and that allow the landscape and surroundings to be celebrated.
3. LOOK AT GENERAL STYLES
Individual architects each bring their own approach and design aesthetic to the table. Architectural firms can be known for a singular look or can adapt a look for each individual commission. Note that styles are just as important as specialties. Look at a firm's general aesthetic and style to see if it aligns with yours. Otherwise, you might find yourself with a firm that spends the entire design phase pitching ideas that just do not appeal to you. Have a conversation about design directions before committing to an architect to make sure you are both on the same page.
4. LOOK AT PORTFOLIOS
Architects maintain portfolios of their work as a means of demonstrating their capabilities to potential clients. A portfolio is one of the most effective ways to get a feel for how an architect designs, how robust their process is, and to see the design outcomes in built work. Vetting architects by exploring their portfolios is absolutely necessary. To that end, so are personal interviews where an approach to design is outlined. Seeing an architect's portfolio of design work pulls all these conversations together and provides evidence of both design skill and technical experience.
Another way of thinking about a portfolio is that it is a visual representation of the passion and priorities an architect tries to convey during consultation. The design portfolio is a manifestation of how the individual approaches architecture and home design and provides insight into understanding your architect's view of the world.
5. LOOK AT ACTUAL PROPERTIES
Like builders and contractors provide references, local architects can often refer you to projects they have previously completed. If any of those projects are open to the public, go look at them. Seeing actual properties in Park City allows you to make connections just not possible sitting in an office talking. Visiting a property lets you experience it fully and pick up on the care that went into the design and the details of the architecture. If possible, ask to see a home in a neighborhood you are considering: Glenwild, the Colony, Victory Ranch or the Preserve are all neighborhoods in Park City or Summit County with complex requirements for building that can be a challenge for the inexperienced to navigate.
Your desire to build a primary or vacation home in Park City deserves the attention of an architect who can work with you to successfully realize your vision. Take your time and be selective. After all, you're not just building a structure; you are building an integral part of your life and your family’s legacy.