Architect: Bell Knott Architects, Leawood, KS
Engineer: Ensign Engineering and Land Surveying, Sandy, UT
Construction Management: Layton Construction, Sandy, UT
General Contractor: Layton Construction, Sandy, UT
Reinforcing Bar Placer: Layton Construction, Sandy, UT
Award: 2016 CRSI Award Winner – Cultural & Entertainment Facilities Category
Photography: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, UT
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints renovated its Granite Mountain Records Vault in order to enhance safety and security, to meet current archival standards and install a large digital archive. The vault is located inside the side of a mountain and the new entry building had to be designed to blend into the existing granite backdrop in an effort to be as unobtrusive as possible, and remain operational following an anticipated seismic event. State-of-the-art, high-strength concrete mixes and reinforced concrete columns allowed for a unique design and construction solution. The concrete finishes blend well into the mountain surroundings. The light visual lines and innovative wall column design hide very large mechanical systems and provide impressive structural capability. Concrete was added to many areas of the facility in a wide-range of shapes and functions to adapt the existing structure to important and valuable new uses. The ingenuity in the design and construction of these new elements is truly amazing.