In celebration of its 100th anniversary this year, the American Institute of Architects Utah Chapter conducted a poll in October to determine which Utah buildings respondents consider the best in the state. Through this poll, AIA seeks to remember the last 100 years of great architecture in Utah as we prepare to look forward to the next 100 years.

Distributed entirely through electronic and social media, the poll was open to everyone who wanted to reply. Four hundred twenty-five people responded. The poll asked if the person participating “was studying architecture or was a member of the architectural industry.” Thirty-nine point one percent answered no, 60.9% answered yes. Phil Haderlie, AIA, current president of AIA Utah, was very pleased with the results, exclaiming, “The number of responses is pretty amazing, especially among people outside our profession, we are grateful for the interest in Utah’s great buildings and architects.”

Based on input from the public and Utah’s Architectural community, AIA Utah’s “100 Buildings Taskforce,” led by Steven Cornell, categorized one hundred Utah buildings into 10 categories. The top vote-getters were:

1. Best Rural Building — Bryce Canyon Lodge; Designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood. Built in 1924.
   
   
2. Best Residence — McCune Mansion; Architect: S.C. Dallas. Built in 1900.
   
   
3. Best Cultural and Civic Building — Salt Lake City Public Library; Architects: Moshe Safdie with VCBO. Built in 2003.
   
   
4. Best Religious Building — Cathedral of the Madeleine; Original Architects: Carl M. Neuhausen and Bernard Mecklenburg. Built 1900-1909. Restoration Architects: Beyer Blinder Belle. Restored 1991-1993.
   
   
5. Best K-12 Building — Ogden High School; Original Architects: Hodgson & McClenehan. Built 1936 under the auspices of the Works Progress Administration. Restoration Architects: EDA and CRSA. Renovation/Restoration 2012.
   
   
6. Best Green Building — Natural History Building of Utah; Architects: Ennead Architects and GSBS. Built in 2011.
   
   
7. Best High-Rise Building – Boston & Newhouse Buildings; Architect: Henry Ives Cobb. Built 1908-1911.
   
   
8. Best Higher Education Building — Natural History Building of Utah; Architects: Ennead Architects and GSBS. Built in 2011.
   
   
9. Best Sports Venue — Utah Olympic Park; Engineering: Eckhoff Watson Preator with VBFA; Architect: Judge Building and Main Museum — EDA. Built for the 2002 Olympics.
   
   
10. Best “Didn’t Fit into these Categories Building” — Hotel Utah (now known as Joseph Smith Memorial Building); Built 1909-1911. Original Architects: Parkinson and Bergstrom. Built 1909-1911. Renovated in 1993.

Further information on these buildings and the others included in the poll can be found at AIA.org.

Steven Cornell, AIA of FFKR, who led the curation of the buildings included in the poll, said, “The best of building poll results reflects a wide range of tastes by the public, with selections of both historic and modern buildings. The poll speaks to the important role buildings play in our communities, not only as practical institutions but as art, sculpture and place creation.”

Haderlie said, “Utah has many wonderful historic and modern buildings; they make up the fabric of who we are as a people and we as architects take cues from those who have come before us as we look forward to the future of design within the state.”