Our 2024 Ak'ei Project Featured in DESERT DREAMING

The 2024 Ak'ei project by DesignBuildUTAH@Bluff is featured in DESERT DREAMING, the new book by Jessica Ritz.

Our students' work appears alongside projects by well-known architects and major builders. It is a real honor for the program, and turning the pages sparks plenty of ideas for the designs to come.

Featured: The Engawa Space

The book features a photo of the engawa space at Ak'ei House. The engawa space is one of the ideas DesignBuildUTAH has been focusing on most in recent projects.

The Ak'ei House engawa space, as featured in DESERT DREAMING

What Is an Engawa?

An engawa is a long, narrow, wood-floored space that runs along the edge of a traditional Japanese house. Sheltered under deep eaves, it is both inside and outside at once: a space in between.

In Japan, people have long sat on the engawa to drink tea, chat with neighbors passing by, or simply rest in the sun. The engawa also softens strong sun and rain, and brings views of the garden and fresh air into the home.

Winters in the Bluff desert get cold. On those cold days, the engawa space captures the sun's heat and offers a warm place to be. It also becomes a natural gathering place for family and neighbors. Adapting traditional Japanese wisdom to life in this place is why we keep working on the engawa space.

About Ak'ei House

Ak'ei House was an eight-month project for our students. You can see the Open House that celebrated its completion here:

Ak’ei House Open House Success!

If you come across the book at a bookstore, take a look. It is also available online.

DESERT DREAMING by Jessica Ritz
View on Amazon