Set on the north end of the Utah State Capitol campus, the North Capitol Building represents the final major component of the Capitol master plan, replacing the mid-century State Office Building with a facility that matches the scale, materiality and dignity of Richard K.A. Kletting’s original design. Developed in close partnership between the Capitol Preservation Board, VCBO Architecture and Okland Construction, the project balances historic fidelity with the performance, safety and adaptability required for 21st-century government operations. The result integrates modern program requirements with classical architectural expression, addressing both functional needs and the symbolic character of the site.
Nathan Leavitt, AIA VCBO’s principal in charge of the project, says, “Our firm has had the honor of collaborating with the Capitol Preservation Board (CPB) and the Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM) for more than two decades on the preservation, restoration and development of the Capitol Hill Complex. This work is a source of immense pride for us. We are very proud that VCBO has played a role in protecting this state treasure, helping to ensure that it remains a civic landmark and a functional seat of government for generations to come.”
The four-story structure, with a full basement, is clad in granite to harmonize with the Capitol’s exterior. Its base-isolated concrete frame ensures seismic resilience — a critical safeguard for the building’s extensive archival collections and its heavy stone façade in Utah’s high-seismic region.
At its center, a four-story atrium serves as the organizational and ceremonial heart, anchored by a sweeping semi-spiral staircase and crowned with a 25-by-25-foot stained glass laylight. VCBO and the CPB worked with Holdman Studios to create a unique structure. Composed of more than 14,000 individual pieces, the skylight draws imagery from all 29 Utah counties, creating a vivid narrative of the state’s ecosystems and enduring cultural symbols.
The program is designed to serve both government operations and public engagement. The ground floor will house the new Museum of Utah, positioning the building as a cultural gateway to the Capitol campus and providing a permanent home for the state’s museum collections. This public-facing component will interpret Utah’s history, geography and people. Below-grade, secure archive storage will safeguard and preserve the state’s history, art and culture for future generations. The challenge of integrating a museum into an office building required the design to incorporate not only an exterior weather barrier, but also an interior barrier, enabling the mechanical systems to maintain precise temperature and humidity control for the collections and galleries.
The vision for the North Capitol Building is to create a welcoming, accessible space where the public can engage meaningfully with state leaders, fostering openness and connection. There will be two upper floors to accommodate offices, conference rooms and legislative meeting spaces. Modern, functional spaces will meet the evolving needs of the state’s legislative staff and officials.
The Capitol Preservation Board has incorporated flexible gathering spaces on the second floor to host a variety of public and state events. Large rooms can accommodate up to 500 guests for presentations, while banquet-style dinners can seat 250. Additional smaller meeting rooms, all offering views of the plazas and the State Capitol, provide opportunities for more intimate gatherings and discussions.
In keeping with the Capitol’s historical significance, VCBO designed the building in a classically compatible style that maintains the visual prominence of the main structure. The design also enhances campus safety and security, integrating circulation, parking, wayfinding and broader site improvements. Two underground parking structures, each topped with landscaped plazas, improve campus circulation and public access while preserving the historic Olmsted Brothers landscape framework. At the north end, a belvedere will offer framed views over the city, reinforcing the building’s role as both a workplace and a civic destination.
Karen Ferguson, the North Capitol Building’s project manager, has spent over two decades shaping Capitol Hill through her leadership on projects across every building in the complex. Her deep knowledge of the campus — from its robust hidden infrastructure to its most delicate historic finishes — is matched by her expertise in building details and her keen understanding of the processes, personalities and politics surrounding such work. “Each project on Capitol Hill has been about finding the balance between honoring our historic legacy and creating spaces that serve the future. The North Capitol Building represents that balance, and I’m proud to help guide its place in the evolution of the campus.”
The North Capitol Building reflects years of planning and coordination among the Capitol Preservation Board, VCBO Architecture and Okland Construction. The design honors the historic character of the Capitol campus, the construction methods ensure its long-term durability and the collective vision serves the state of Utah’s civic and cultural needs for the next century.
