VCBO Architecture

Temple renovations provide an opportunity to renew the original beauty of these structures and reconnect the architecture with the community.

In 2019, VCBO completed a comprehensive renovation of the Raleigh North Carolina Temple after the building experienced moisture pe*******on problems. The renovation included demolishing and rebuilding many of the building's systems, leaving only the exterior and interior structural bearing walls and roof framing.

In addition to functional improvements, VCBO realigned the building's design with the historic and classical architecture found in the southeast United States. Floral motifs, new art glass window systems, and beige limestone give the temple a distinct aesthetic tied to its geographic location and place. The newly revitalized temple provides a comfortable and beautiful space for North Carolina Latter-day Saints to worship and enjoy.

Exciting news for the Davis School District! We recently celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for the Clearfield High School CTE Building, the eagerly awaited first phase of the reimagined Clearfield High. The VCBO team has poured their hearts into designing spaces that inspire and motivate students, representing hope and potential as they explore their future careers and the possibilities available to them.

We are proud to partner with Hogan & Associates Construction on this transformative endeavor. Together, we aim to deliver a state-of-the-art facility that expands students' learning opportunities and serves as a beacon of learning and innovation for the community.

We are proud to announce that Celestia Carson has been awarded the NCARB President’s Medal for Distinguished Service! 🌟

This prestigious honor, NCARB’s highest, was presented last week by President Jon Baker at the 2024 Annual Business Meeting. Celestia’s remarkable contributions to the architectural profession, her leadership of the Utah Architects Licensing Board, and her unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have set her apart as a true leader. As chair of NCARB’s Diversity Collaborative in 2022, she successfully established the collaborative as a permanent committee and led the DEI Committee in developing a roadmap of DEI goals. Her work on the NCARB Examination Committee has also been pivotal in expanding access to the architectural exam for those without a degree from an NAAB-accredited program.

Celestia is VCBO’s second recipient of this esteemed award, reflecting our firm’s commitment to excellence and service in the field of architecture. Congratulations, Celestia, on this well-deserved recognition!

Learn more: https://ow.ly/EVpf50Skc9s

Some of VCBO's leadership team brought our newly licensed architects to the annual AIA '24 Conference last week to learn, grow, build camaraderie, and network with the AEC industry. We are proud to support our firm's next generation of leadership and cherish opportunities to interact with our industry companions.

Until next year, The American Institute of Architects!

We are proud to highlight some of the meticulous and inspiring work behind designing temples for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide.

Designing temples is a unique and rewarding challenge that spans continents and cultures. Our team embarks on a global journey, engaging with local communities to understand their traditions and architectural styles, ensuring each temple resonates deeply with its surroundings.

From the intricate details of the interiors to the majestic exteriors, every aspect of the design is thoughtfully crafted to reflect the sacred and serene nature of these holy spaces. Our international projects often involve collaboration with skilled artisans and craftspeople, who bring their local expertise and artistry to life in every temple.



1. San Salvador El Salvador Temple (1)
2. Rome Italy Temple (2,3)
3. Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple (4, 5)
4. Mexico City Mexico Temple (6)
5. Suva Fiji Temple (7)

The stunning new McKay Complex, set in the heart of Brigham Young University–Hawaii in Laie, is being designed to embody the institution's mission and vision of light, learning, and intercultural appreciation.

The welcome center, with its striking a-frame windows, will radiate an aura of light, encouraging all who visit "to seek truth diligently," inspired by the campus’s original dedication. Inside, historical, cultural, and religious displays will celebrate the harmonious blend of BYU–Hawaii’s religious, cultural, and educational mission.

Just behind the welcome center, a circular courtyard will serve as the vibrant piko (navel) of the campus. In Hawaiian culture, the piko represents one's connection to their parents and covers one's na'au (core), which holds wisdom and knowledge.

Stay tuned as we help bring this vision to life, blending the mission of BYU–Hawaii with the rich culture of Hawaii.

The intricate work involved in religious design is a harmonious blend of tradition, local culture and heritage, natural elements, and the surrounding landscape. As demonstrated by these recent temples for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the United States, thoughtful design creates meaningful, sacred spaces for worship and reflection.

Architectural work on these sacred spaces is not just about creating beautiful buildings; it’s about crafting environments that inspire peace, reverence, and spiritual connection. Our team is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of design excellence, ensuring each temple reflects its profound significance for the community.



1. McAllen Texas Temple 1-3
2. Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple 4-6
3. Bentonville Arkansas Temple 7

When an interior designer begins a new project, the space enters a dialogue between the architecture, history, place, and the inhabitants who will use it. Successful commercial interior design takes all these elements into account with subtlety and integrates these stories without sacrificing aesthetics or utility.

Learn how our interior designers at VCBO get inspired to design so each building can tell its story: https://www.vcbo.com/insights/articles/the-art-of-storytelling-through-interior-design

Our team had an unforgettable night at the IIDA Intermountain BEST Awards last month, where we partied the night away and came home with the honor of winning the BEST Learn — Higher Education award for the Weber State University Noorda Engineering, Applied Science & Technology Building.

Thank you to the team who planned this fantastic event, and congratulations to all of the winners and nominees. You help make our region beautiful!

Today, we celebrated a milestone 117 years in the making as we broke ground on the Utah State University Veterinary Medical Education Building!

Housing the newly established USU College of Veterinary Medicine, this innovative and hands-on learning environment will help educate future veterinarians and perform critical research to serve communities across the Intermountain West. Governor Spencer Cox, USU President Rebecca Cantwell, and Dean Dirk Vanderwall joined us for this historic event, highlighting the importance of this project in addressing the region's veterinary care needs.

"We are excited to be incorporating a truly modern model of veterinary medical education into our new building," Dean Vanderwall said.

We're proud to partner with Jacobsen Construction on this project and congratulate USU on this long-awaited achievement!

We are thrilled to announce the groundbreaking on The University of Utah James LeVoy Sorenson Center for Medical Innovation! This state-of-the-art facility represents a major milestone in biomedical engineering, research, and discovery.

VCBO is honored to be part of this transformative project, and we thank Jacobsen Construction for their partnership. We also extend our deepest gratitude to University of Utah President Taylor Randall for his visionary leadership and to the Sorenson family for their generous contributions and commitment to medical innovation.

Together, we are paving the way for medical advancements that will benefit countless lives. Here’s to a future filled with innovation and progress!

The West Village Family & Graduate Housing project at the University of Utah showcases an innovative interior design philosophy, integrating high-end materials and warm tones to create a welcoming and comfortable environment. Featuring high-quality wood-look tile flooring, warm paint colors, and sophisticated details, the apartments evoke the feel of a welcoming Salt Lake City living space.

Each space is thoughtfully designed to cater to the diverse needs of married couples, families, graduate students, and international scholars. The interiors include extra carpet padding in study rooms for acoustic and thermal comfort, creating ideal spaces for learning and relaxation.

Sustainability is a priority, with high-efficiency LED lighting, an all-electric mechanical system, and eco-friendly finishes. On track for LEED Gold Certification, the design ensures inclusivity with essential furnishings, multi-purpose rooms, and ADA-compliant units.

Kudos to VCBO Interiors for creating a brilliantly designed, community-focused living space!

Big cheers to our incredible VCBO team members who participated in this year's ! 🚴‍♂️ Your commitment to making greener choices showcases our dedication to sustainability and sets a fantastic example for the community. It’s always inspiring to see our team come together to promote healthier living and reduce our environmental footprint.

Some special shoutouts are in order:

1. Nick built his bike in college and has been riding it ever since
2. Preeti is gearing up to represent Team VCBO at LoToJa later this year
3. Dannon recently got a brand new bike and is preparing for a summer bike tour
4. Rachel unfortunately got a flat tire on her way to the office this morning

Great job to everyone who took part — your efforts are truly making a difference and inspiring us all!

The aquatics expansion at the Park City MARC has reached an important milestone! 🏊‍♀️ Last week, the city's planning commission approved the proposed design, propelling us closer to providing a state-of-the-art upgrade to this community facility.

"With this pool project, we're looking to create an exceptional aquatics facility for the community so that we continue to offer those exceptional programs," Ken Fisher, the city's recreation director, said.

Once completed, the renovation will accommodate a wide range of recreational programs and improve the safety, accessibility, and maintainability of the pools, enhancing patrons' overall experience.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/Pt3R50REWEs

Planning Commission approves Park City MARC pool expansions The Park City Planning Commission on Wednesday approved a proposal to expand and move the outdoor pools at the Municipal Athletic and Recreation Center closer together.

Exciting news from Intermountain Health! 🏥✂️ This Friday, we celebrated the ribbon-cutting of the newly expanded Intermountain Health Central Laboratory with Jacobsen Construction. Doubling in size, this expansion will enhance Intermountain's delivery of state-of-the-art testing and diagnostic technologies to patients and hospitals across the region. With all the most advanced equipment together in a larger space, the central lab will efficiently serve more patients while keeping costs low.

"Working with VCBO, we had a really incredible team," Alicia Simon, director of the Intermountain Central Laboratory, said. "They worked diligently with us, teaching us. I am grateful for the team that was chosen to do this."

A huge thanks to Intermountain, Jacobsen, and everyone who helped make this project a success!

Religious interior design requires meticulous research and attention to detail, as shown through this awe-inspiring work of the VCBO interiors team. These temples for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are a testament to how thoughtful interior design can truly elevate a space.

By deeply engaging with the communities where these temples stand, our team integrates local natural patterns and historical elements into their designs, ensuring that each temple resonates with its surroundings and inspires all who visit.



1 & 6: Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple
2: Rome Italy Temple
3, 4 & 5: McAllen Texas Temple

Happy ! We take immense pride in our exceptional interiors team, whose creativity and dedication emphasize the human interaction with the built environment. Interior design is crucial to our work, cultivating functionality, beauty, and engagement for every user in every space.

To celebrate, we're highlighting some of the remarkable designs from our interiors team in recent years:

1. Weber State University Noorda Engineering, Applied Science & Technology Building | Ogden, UT
2. Intermountain Health Primary Children's Hospital, Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Campus | Lehi, UT
3. Bentonville Arkansas Temple | Bentonville, AR
4. University of Utah West Village Graduate & Family Housing | Salt Lake City, UT
5. Paperbox Lofts | Salt Lake City, UT
6. Provo City Hall & Public Safety Building | Provo, UT

The Uintah High School Agricultural Sciences Building is a milestone facility for both the high school and the Uintah School District. Housing three learning labs and an aquaculture lab, all connected through a shared flexible space, this project is primed to provide a place for Utah's future agriculturalists and farmers to thrive.

We want to thank the team that brought the District's vision to life, including the Uintah School District, BHI, CRS Engineering & Surveying, Envision Engineering, Allegion, Van Boerum & Frank, and Calder Richards Structural Engineers.

Nestled in a historic barn in Salt Lake City, VCBO's primary office represents how we take our commitment to environmental stewardship through our projects and our own practice — through sustainability programs and the adaptive reuse of our spaces.

Through our current office renovation, we're not just updating and reorganizing our offices, but we're also minimizing our environmental impact and boosting employee well-being. From energy-efficient upgrades to biophilic design elements, every step helps us move toward a more sustainable future.

Dive into the full story of our firm's journey toward a better workspace and learn how these changes positively impact our team.

Read more here: https://ow.ly/tVyE50Rrcqo

Last week, VCBO, Spectrum Engineers, and SIRQ Construction joined Mayor Mark Johnson, Lehi City Council members, and numerous city staff to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Lehi City Hall and Library.

The building is set to anchor the new civic campus, which will transform how the rapidly growing Lehi community interacts with municipal services. This multi-purpose facility will house the city council chambers, administrative offices, community meeting rooms, an information center, and a modernized library.

We're looking forward to seeing this building come to life and ultimately serve the community long into the future.

We are thrilled to announce that Engineering News-Record Mountain States has named VCBO the 2024 Intermountain Design Firm of the Year! 🎉

Huge thanks to ENR for this incredible recognition. This achievement not only reflects our team's dedication to innovation and design excellence but it underscores the impact of our core mission: to design structures and spaces for people to thrive.

Check out the full announcement: https://ow.ly/QaH850RmHqS

ENR Mountain States Names VCBO, JLG Architects Design Firms of the Year ENR Firms of the Year are chosen based on regional revenues, new initiatives, current projects, community and industry contributions, and other considerations.

Happy Earth Day! In addition to creating sustainable buildings that help keep our environment beautiful, VCBO also works to design spaces that harmonize with their natural surroundings and help their inhabitants appreciate the outdoors. This Earth Day, we want to celebrate some of our favorite projects that emphasize their environment and the importance of protecting the Earth we live on.

Last year, we hosted our first design “boot camp," where we introduced six architecture and interior design undergraduates to the dynamic world of design. Through this immersive summer internship, they experienced firsthand the challenges and triumphs of working in the industry, setting them up for success in their future careers.

We are proud to have some of our 2023 interns still working at VCBO today. Here's how their learning and mentorship experiences have shaped their professional aspirations:

🌟 Morgan Watson emphasized the collaborative nature of architectural projects. She highlighted her increased inspiration and enthusiasm, particularly enjoying the vibrant creativity within the K-12 sector and the thoughtful consideration required in healthcare design.

🙌 Guillermo Zeyla learned the importance role of teamwork and collaboration in architecture. His exposure to interior design broadened his understanding of the complexities and extensive knowledge required in the field.

📚 Crystal Knutson navigated the delicate balance of being both a learner and a contributor, focusing on the significance of building relationships not only with colleagues but also with contractors and clients.

We are excited to continue our summer internship program in 2024, through which we will support the development of emerging talent and help equip the next generation of professionals to influence our world with thoughtful design.

In celebration of , we are proud to showcase the bright futures we're helping to build in the profession of architecture and design, especially among K-12 students! Hear from one of our exceptional interns, Kristi Potter, on the impact of her experience:

"Interning with VCBO has taught me necessary skills that will greatly prepare me for the world of professional architecture," she said. "Had it not been for VCBO, I am certain I wouldn't have been offered or succeeded in the opportunities that came after becoming an intern."

We are excited to continue to nurture and inspire the next generation of architects and design professionals together!

Hear more about Kristi's journey: https://ow.ly/UooK50RgHRf

Get involved: https://ow.ly/fv5H50RgHRh

Architecture Week 2024 Architecture Week celebrates the profession of architecture and invites everyone—especially K-12 students—to explore architecture and design. See how you can join the fun and find activities near you!

Conservation of resources and a desire to inspire responsible practices were among the top goals for the LEED Platinum-certified S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah.

Boasting the highest LEED rating for higher education in Utah, key sustainability features include an innovative geothermal cooling system utilizing site well water and solar panel shade structures on the rooftop garden, reducing reliance on traditional energy sources. A water-efficient irrigation system, ample natural daylighting, and healthy and efficient materials and systems further contribute to the building's environmental quality.

These measures have ensured that the building serves as an iconic campus gateway, an innovative legal training and research center, and a beacon for sustainable higher education infrastructure.

Learn more about this project: https://ow.ly/OrzU50RbpYA

VCBO principal Celestia Carson was recently interviewed about her work on the forthcoming University of Utah Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine. With complex program requirements and a challenging location, it's been a balancing act bringing the university's vision for innovative spaces and an iconic campus gateway to life.

“What appears very simple in the geometry of the building was essentially incredibly, incredibly challenging to resolve," Carson said.

The building — which will become the new home of the medical school and a hub for the renowned health sciences campus — is set to transform the entire university.

Read the full article in ENR Magazine: https://ow.ly/4nwZ50RbAgH

Utah Medical School Design Creates Campus Gateway The Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine will serve as a hub of the University of Utah’s health sciences campus.

Sustainability isn't just a checkbox — it's a guiding principle that should be ingrained in every aspect of architecture, design, and planning.

It isn't merely about meeting regulations; it's about creating enduring, resilient spaces that enhance the well-being of both occupants and the environment. To maximize success, sustainability practices must be tailored to fit each project, prioritizing strategies that minimize environmental impact while maximizing cost efficiency and functionality. From pursuing LEED and other certifications to selecting cost-effective energy efficiency initiatives, the focus should be on creating spaces that benefit both people and the planet.

Design decisions have a lasting impact, and we're working to improve the long-term health of our communities one building at a time.



1. Intermountain Health Salt Lake Clinic (LEED Gold) | Salt Lake City, UT
2. Davis School District Odyssey Elementary School (LEED Gold & Net Zero) | Woods Cross, UT
3. Multi-Agency State Office Building (HPBS) | Salt Lake City, UT
4. Weber State University Noorda Engineering, Applied Science & Technology Building (HPBS & Net Zero) | Ogden, UT

Join us in celebrating Hoku Ching, one of VCBO's outstanding associates, for being recognized as one of Engineering News-Record Mountain States' 2024 Top Young Professionals!

From Stanford to the University of Utah to joining our firm in 2015, Hoku's trajectory has been marked by excellence and dedication. As a VCBO associate and project manager overseeing major K–12 and higher education projects, her impact on the architectural landscape is undeniable. Hoku's commitment to creating sustainable, flexible educational facilities and her active leadership in professional and community organizations showcase her multifaceted expertise and people-focused approach.

"Hoku is a strong reflection of the best her generation of architects has to offer," VCBO principal Whitney Ward said. "Her love and passion are expressed in who she is, how she works, and the beautiful spaces she creates."

Dive deeper into Hoku's remarkable journey and contributions by reading her honoree profile: https://ow.ly/ltNA50R7Xgz

ENR Mountain States 2024 Top Young Professionals Winners of the 2024 ENR Mountain States Top Young Professionals competition are architects, engineers, constructors, virtual design experts, project managers and even a transportation industrial rope access program leader.