Salt Lake Community College

Salt Lake City, Utah

National Artist Search/Competition
Utah Arts Council

Architect: HFS Architects, Salt Lake City; Barry Smith, AIA

National Design Competition & Project Administration: Utah Arts Council; David Holz, Director of Public Art

Markosian Library Atrium WindowTurning Pages
27.8' w. by 12.8' h.


This achromatic screen between reading area and three-story atrium derives its color from library patrons and the books themselves.A restrained glass palette of textured clear, transparent glass, white opal and opak glass and clear lenses resonates with interior finishes including gray carpets, earth-tone walls, white-stained concrete and natural oak detailing.

The subtle filminess of opal glass and sparkling transparent glass allows the stained glass to blend into its architectural context as an elegantly understated detail. “Turning pages” in the stained glass also echo an architectural concept based on the square, from the siting and layout of the building to the detailing of oak handrails and air returns. Stainless steel handrails along crosswalks overlooking the atrium reappear in the stained glass as vertical detailing in the leading. The stained glass is installed behind protective, tempered glass which also reduces maintenance to that of conventional window glazing.


Materials: German mouthblown glass, domestic rolled glass, fire-polished lenses, lead, solder installed under tempered glass.