WRNS Studio is proud to announce that Moses Vaughan has been elevated to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Fellows. The College of Fellows honors members who have made significant contributions to the profession of architecture and society on a national level.
Moses conducts focused tectonic research to clarify and elevate architectural intent. Collaborating with artisans and manufacturers, he explores the potential of technology and materials, embedding precision and craft in high performance buildings that enhance the human experience. A committed mentor, Moses teaches future generations of designers how to deliver cost-efficient solutions rooted in research, innovation, and craft.
Clarifying and elevating design intent
Through experimentation and collaborative research, Moses brings focus to each project’s design concepts, resulting in architecture that reflects and amplifies each unique place. For example, at Adobe’s Utah campus, the client requested visually unobstructed spaces with views to the Wasatch Range and Utah Valley while achieving high energy efficiency goals. In response, Moses collaborated with engineers to develop an inverted king truss, creating a 100-foot wide column-free atrium flanked to the east and west by monumental structural glass walls. Utilizing offset thermal breaks and triple-pane glazing, the 36-foot high facades provide outstanding thermal performance while linking the high desert views with the mountains beyond. The project helped define Lehi as Utah’s innovation hub and has contributed to the area’s alias as “Silicon Slopes.”
“At Adobe, Moses was critical in designing and delivering the key moment of the entire campus, the central atrium. Moses implemented the vision, despite multiple technical challenges—including 100 mph wind speeds, heavy snow loading, and high seismic requirements—with expertise, creativity and collaboration. No one is better.”
Collaboration to raise industry standards
Moses has advanced industry practices through his dedication to craft and his collaborative approach to research and experimentation. By encouraging vendors, builders, and clients to innovate, he has normalized the adoption of new systems and materials that improve environmental, social, and economic performance. For example, on Confidential Tech Client’s campus, Moses helped pioneer the commercial use of mass timber construction, showcasing the advantages of low-carbon and biophilic materials, while also benefiting rural economies and promoting forest health and resilience. Collaborating closely with the manufacturer and design team, Moses established dimensional and erection tolerance guidelines for integrating the cross-laminated timber deck elements with conventional steel framing metrics. He also guided the development of a multi-story mock-up to foster building trade coordination, refine detailing, and contribute to the mass-timber code conversation during the local permitting process.
“I really admired his ability to engage and collaborate with both the builder and structural engineer to find innovative and practical approaches to constructability issues that benefitted all parties. As the project lead for Confidential Tech Client, whenever I heard ‘Moses is on it’, I knew we were in good hands.”
Craft that advances the public realm
Craft is a vital aspect of the architect’s design role in responsibly shaping and sharing the built environment. Moses has methodically cultivated and discovered latent opportunities of materials and systems—a process resulting in optimized function, workability, durability and materiality to express the beauty and meaning of craft. Likewise, when client aspirations, a complex program, and constrained site combine, the challenges often become significant opportunities. For the Dolby Cinema at Dolby Headquarters, Moses collaborated with the A. Zahner Company to develop a novel “retained tab” stainless cladding system that features thousands of individually addressed LED back-lite elements. The resulting pixelated surface becomes a three-dimensional projection surface, thereby converting a windowless box into an illuminated cube capable of both static and dynamic displays. The cubic volume is enhanced by separation from the existing granite tower with an innovative VS-1 all-glass pre-function lobby. While the majority of the project remains in the private (corporate) realm, the views inward toward the cinema volume are deliberately revealed to the adjacent public sidewalks. The project visually opens and engages passersby with a vignette display of the creative process within.
“The design grew from a desire to reflect Dolby’s relentless pursuit of precision. The retained tab technology was a perfect manifestation of Dolby’s brand and how they wanted this project to engage the City.”
Education: paying it forward
Aware of how knowledge can become siloed to individuals or specific teams within a growing practice, Moses supports and provides guidance to future generations of architects through “WRNS U,” an umbrella term for WRNS Studio’s continuing education events, meetings, and focus areas. The program, in effect since 2010, supports WRNS Studio’s young designers, nurturing design excellence rooted in research, innovation, and craft. Moses regularly leads construction tours and luncheon lectures presenting building systems and materials with a focus on cost-efficient solutions while never sacrificing design quality. This mentoring process takes many forms: construction site tours, impromptu tech-talks, more formal in-house presentations, and periodic essays.
Thank you Moses, for putting the “architect” in architecture!
“There’s so much we learn from Moses each day. Thanks for making us better at what we do, individually and collectively.”
Related
