What Sparano + Mooney Architecture does

Sparano + Mooney Architecture is a privately held architectural design firm founded in 1997 by John Sparano, FAIA and Anne Mooney, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP, with headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah and a second office in Los Angeles, California. The firm delivers full-service architectural design across five core product lines: custom residential architecture (mountain modern and heritage modern homes), arts and culture/museum design, civic and institutional architecture, master planning and urban design, and worship architecture. Clients include high-net-worth individuals, cultural institutions (MoCA, Sundance Institute, Kimball Art Center, Nora Eccles Harrison Museum), universities (University of Utah, Utah State University), municipal agencies (City of Los Angeles, Salt Lake County), religious organizations (Diocese of Salt Lake City), and corporate headquarters (Big Cartel).

The firm's underlying methodology is a research-based, four-phase heuristic conceptual design process — research and discovery, problem definition, solution development, and project delivery — supported by a LEED-accredited team that embeds passive design, daylighting, and local material strategies from project inception. The firm employs 'conceptual constructs' as heuristic physical/abstract devices to filter design ideas.

Revenue is generated through project-based professional services fees, quote-based and not publicly disclosed, structured as multi-year engagements with scope-defined pricing. The go-to-market is reputation-driven and highly selective: bespoke enterprise sales targeting clients acquired through direct referrals, national/international press coverage (New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Architectural Digest, Dwell, Domus, Monocle), and accumulated design awards (50+ accolades including two AIA Firm of the Year honors and dual FAIA elevations). A 2022 Hatje Cantz monograph codifies the methodology as a brand asset, and the firm has been a founding member of The 1% for Public Architecture since 2002.

Name

Sparano + Mooney Architecture

Legal name

Sparano + Mooney Architecture

Website

https://sparanomooney.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sparano + Mooney Architecture is a privately held, award-winning boutique architecture firm (est. 1997) with offices in Salt Lake City and Los Angeles that designs custom mountain residences, cultural facilities, civic buildings, and worship spaces for elite clients across the American West.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Custom residential architecture
• Museum and cultural facility design
• Sustainable architecture
• Master planning and urban design

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: The firm provides comprehensive architectural design and project planning services to civic, municipal, institutional and private clients. Revenue is generated through professional fees for design services, typically structured as project-based engagements with scope-defined pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sparano + Mooney Architecture provides full-service architectural design for residential, cultural, civic, commercial, and worship projects throughout the American West, delivered through a collaborative research-based design process. The firm's portfolio spans custom mountain modern homes, heritage residences, museums and performing arts venues, civic facilities, master planning, and contemporary places of worship. All projects integrate sustainable and passive design principles, including LEED-accredited expertise, and are crafted at multiple scales from micro off-the-grid projects to large institutional buildings.

Product overview

Sparano + Mooney Architecture is an architectural firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of design services rather than a software product platform. The core offering consists of architectural design services spanning custom residential architecture (mountain modern homes, heritage residences), sustainable design solutions (LEED certification, net-zero performance), and specialized project types including arts and culture facilities (museums, concert halls, galleries), civic and institutional buildings (recreation centers, community centers), master planning and urban design, and worship architecture. The firm operates from offices in Salt Lake City, Utah and Los Angeles, California, serving clients throughout the American West. Their unique process emphasizes a research-based conceptual design approach and heuristic methodology. The firm also published a monograph titled 'Sparano + Mooney Architecture: A Way of Working' in 2022 documenting their design philosophy and selected projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Full-service architectural design for residential, cultural, civic, commercial, and worship projects throughout the American West, delivered through a collaborative research-based design process honed over more than 25 years.
• Sustainable Architecture Sustainable and passive design principles embedded in projects from inception, including LEED certification services, net-zero energy performance, daylighting, and locally sourced material strategies to minimize environmental impact.
• Custom Residential Architecture Contemporary mountain modern homes and heritage modern residences designed for clients throughout Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, California, and New Mexico, balancing leading-edge architectural practices with timeless sustainable design.
• Arts + Culture / Museum Design Landmark arts and culture facilities including museums, exhibitions, gallery spaces, cultural master planning, performing arts projects, concert halls, and cultural centers for civic agencies and non-profit institutions.
• Civic + Institutional Architecture Architecture for civic agencies and non-profit institutions including community recreation centers, performing arts centers, and public facilities across the western United States.
• Master Planning + Urban Design Comprehensive master planning and urban design services for mixed-use developments, cultural districts, and community planning projects.
• Worship Architecture Contemporary places of worship designed for religious institutions, combining traditional values with cutting-edge design, materials, and technology.

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The 1% for Public ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Founding members since 2002 of The 1% for Public Architecture program, a national initiative connecting non-profit organizations with architecture firms providing pro bono design services. The firm dedicates professional time each year to pro bono design services for nonprofits working in the public interest.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bohlin Cywinski Jackson: Multi-office architecture firm with deep experience in cultural, civic, and high-end residential commissions. Comparable reputation for design excellence, AIA honors, and high-touch bespoke client service across multiple typologies.
• Studio B Architecture: Aspen-based architecture firm specializing in contemporary mountain modern homes and cultural/community buildings in resort communities. Highly comparable in geography (mountain West), clientele (luxury residential + civic), and design philosophy.
• Olson Kundig: Seattle-based architecture firm with a parallel reputation for high-end contemporary residential and cultural projects rooted in the American West landscape. Comparable niche authority, design-award profile, and custom-residential client base make it the closest direct peer.
• Allied Works Architecture: Portland-based firm known for culturally significant museum, civic, and residential projects including the National Museum of Wildlife Art. Comparable in cultural-institution focus, design-award pedigree, and Western US practice.
• Clive Wilkinson Architects: Los Angeles-based architecture firm serving cultural, workplace, and institutional clients with an award-winning portfolio. Comparable on cultural-institution work and LA presence as a Western US peer.
• Aidlin Darling Design: San Francisco Bay Area architecture firm with a parallel reputation for AIA-honored custom residential and cultural projects emphasizing craft, sustainability, and site integration. Comparable boutique scale and design-award density.
• Marmol Radziner: Los Angeles-based design-build firm specializing in high-end contemporary residential architecture with strong sustainability credentials. Comparable luxury residential client base and West Coast positioning.
• Lake|Flato Architects: San Antonio-based firm recognized for sustainable, regionally-rooted contemporary architecture spanning residential, cultural, and civic typologies. Comparable LEED-aligned sustainable design practice and reputation-driven positioning.
• Machado Silvetti: Boston-based architecture firm with a strong cultural and academic institutional portfolio. Comparable in museum and university client work, design-award profile, and scholarly/heuristic design process orientation.

Broad incumbents

• Snøhetta: Globally renowned architecture and design firm with major cultural and civic commissions (libraries, museums, opera houses). Overlaps in cultural-architecture clientele and award profile, but operates at a substantially larger scale and broader geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sparanomooney
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sparano-mooney-architecture

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sparano + Mooney Architecture