the solaris collection at daybreak, south jordan, utah
irvine, calif.
ktgy group

When Garbett Homes wanted a fresh approach to the multifamily work it had been doing, the company tapped Irvine, Calif.–based architecture firm KTGY, which proposed the developer change course and do modern eco-friendly single-family homes. “We told them we’d like to make the inside as high-tech as the outside,” says John Tully, a KTGY founding partner.

The firm’s effort, the Solaris Collection at Daybreak, is intended for first-time buyers, but the homes are loaded with standard features that are more common with higher-end residences, such as rooftop photovoltaics, solar thermal hot water, and geothermal heating and cooling. Each home also offers options that include compact fluorescent lights, low-E windows, low-flow faucets, dual-flush toilets, and Energy Star appliances. “When it comes to solar, the key to the success of the project is that you have to keep the square footage down and make the homes energy efficient,” Tully explains. “The developer was sophisticated enough to realize that.”

The firm modulated the massing of the alley-loaded homes with color, fiber cement, and stucco, and varied the elevations to make the streetscape seem fresh. As a testament to the project’s success, all but three of the homes sold within six months of completion, and it has become the fastest selling the builder has ever experienced. “The floor plans are good,” one judge said, “and [the project] takes sustainability seriously.”

View all 2012 RADA winners.


project credits principal in charge: John Tully, KTGY;project architect: Chris Texter, KTGY; general contractor: Noel Ballstaedt, Garbett Construction, Salt Lake City, Utah; developer: Bryson Garbett, Cotland Development, Salt Lake City; land planner: Kraig Cramer, Kennecott Land Co., South Jordan, Utah; landscape architect: Steven Gilbert, Arcsitio Design, Salt Lake City; interior designer: Kami Ballstaedt, Ballstaedt Builders, Salt Lake City; project size:  site size: 2.3 acres; total units: 67; sales price: $209,000 to $265,000 per unit; construction cost: $98 per square foot;photography: John Bare Photography.


product details

bath and kitchen cabinets: Cardell Cabinetry, www.cardellkitchens.com; bath and kitchen fittings: Moen, www.moen.com; dishwasher, range, and refrigerator: GE, www.ge.com; doors: Therma-Tru, www.thermatru.com, Lynden Doors, www.lyndendoor.com; exterior siding: CertainTeed, www.certainteed.com; flooring (carpet): Shaw Industries, shawfloors.com; flooring (tile): Bedrosians, bedrosians.com, Marazzi, www.marazzitile.com; flooring (other): Mannington, www.mannington.com; garage doors: Northwest, www.nwdusa.com; hardware: Sure Loc, surelochardware.com; hvac equipment: Trane, www.trane.com; insulation: FiberTEK, www.fibertekinsulation.com; roofing: Mulhide, www.mulehide.com; windows: Amsco Windows, www.amscowindows.com