These 13 Pieces of Architectural Brilliance In Utah Could Wow Anyone

Abravanel Hall is one of the most acoustically-sound buildings in the country. Dr. Cyril M. Harris. provided the interior design to maximize the acoustics for symphony performances. You won’t find any 90-degree angles in the hall -- every surface is convex. The corridors outside the hall are sound-locked to prevent exterior noise from interrupting the music within. The building was completed in 1979 at a cost of $12 million.

The Adobe building in Lehi was designed by WRNS Studio of San Francisco, one of the top architecture firms in the country. The glass building reflects the nearby foothills, and 93 percent of the interior space boasts outside views. The building won the 2013 Design Review Award from Architect magazine.

Architects Leslie Hodgson and Myrl A. McClenahan designed the Bigelow, which was completed in 1927 and is an example of Italian Renaissance Revival architecture. In 1933 it was sold and became The Ben Lomond. The hotel is eleven stories tall and is listed on both the National and Utah Historical Registers.

Architects Carl Neuhausen and Bernard O. Mecklenburg designed the Cathedral of the Madeleine, which was completed in 1909. The exterior is considered Neo-Romanesque architecture, while the interior is Neo-Gothic. It features ornate shrines, a soaring vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows.

The Hotel Utah was built in 1911 and was one of the grandest hotels in the West. The ten-story hotel was designed by Los Angeles architects Parkinson and Bergstrom and cost $2 million to build. The hotel closed in 1987 and the building was renovated. It reopened as the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in 1993. The building now houses a family history library, two restaurants, wedding reception and meeting rooms.

This recently completed building is wrapped with 42,000 feet of copper, donated by Rio Tinto. Ennead Architects designed the building to reflect the surrounding beauty of the foothills. Inside, the construction is modern abstract. The 153,000 square-foot building was completed in 2011.

Truman O. Angell, the church’s official architect, designed the Salt Lake Temple, which took 40 years to complete. It was constructed with large blocks of quartz monzonite that were hauled 20 miles by wagon from Little Cottonwood Canyon. The temple was completed in 1893. The walls of the 253,000 square-foot building are between 6 and 9 feet thick.

The world-famous architect Mosche Safdie designed the main branch of the Salt Lake City Library system, which opened in 2003. The library offers much more than just books - its spaces are designed to encourage the feeling of community. In addition to the stack, the library has art installations, a coffee shop, snack and gift shops, meeting rooms, an auditorium and plenty of comfy seating (some surrounding fireplaces).

This Richardson Romanesque-style building was constructed between 1891 and 1894. Architects George W. Bird and Willis T. Proudfoot designed the building. It features a clock tower, statues of "Columbia" and "Justice" and sculptures of many famous Utahns, including Native Americans, explorers, and founding city politicians.

Built in 1902 by Thomas Kearns, a mining magnate, the Thomas Kearns Mansion has operated as the official Utah Governor’s residence since it was donated to the state by Mrs. Kearns in 1937. The mansion was designed by Carl Neuhausen and replicated many of the east-coast mansions owned by families such as the Vanderbilts and Carnegies. It was completed at a cost of $350,000.

Union Station, located on 25th Street and Wall in Ogden was designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. It was designed by architects John and Donald Parkinson and completed in 1924. The Grand Lobby boasts 56-foot ceilings. No longer a railroad depot, Union Station now houses several museums and art galleries.

Utah’s Capitol was completed in 1916, at a cost of $2,739,538.00. It was designed by Richard K.A. Kletting and features 52 Corinthian columns and a copper-covered dome. In 2004, the Capitol underwent a major renovation, including the installation of a base isolation system, which is engineered to allow the building to sway back and forth during an earthquake.

Designed by Eames and Young, a St. Louis architectural firm, the Walker Building was completed in 1912. At the time, the 16-story skyscraper was the tallest building between Chicago and San Francisco. The building features a 64-foot weather tower, which is lit with colored lights that indicate current weather conditions.