06/10/2026
After years of hard work, the USU Monument Valley Academic Building is complete, and we finally have the photography to prove it!
Thanks to photographer Jared Kenitzer, we now have stunning images of one of our most meaningful projects. His work captures what makes this building so special: a structure that doesn't just sit within its landscape but genuinely responds to it.
The building takes its material cues from the towering sandstone monuments surrounding it, while expansive picture windows frame those formations directly, bringing the valley inside. At the heart of the reception area, a circular skylight opens the ceiling to the sky, meeting the earth below, where a pinyon pine has been planted. It's a quiet, intentional moment that grounds the whole space.
Beyond the entry, classrooms extend along the central axis, designed to serve a range of vocational programs including nursing, welding, and more. Each room is filled with natural light and oriented towards the ancient vistas that define Monument Valley, giving students a constant, remarkable connection to where they are.