Nestled against the picturesque Wasatch Mountain Range, St. Thomas More Catholic Church is a unique sacred building which takes advantage of a unique setting. Utilizing naturally and locally produced materials, the end result of design strategies reflects a blend of objectives, which includes responses to existing contextual elements, a vista of the Wasatch Mountains, and the incorporation of energy saving, natural day lighting techniques to provide glare-free natural light.

In addition to its distinctive shape which rises to mimic the mountains to the East, its most distinctive feature may be the carefully engineered, precast white concrete 'light-shelves' placed above each window on the South facade that control not less than 95 percent of the direct sunlight by reflecting and diffusing it upwards on to the sharply raked ceiling. The remaining five- percent of direct light creates constantly changing and intricate patterns on both the floor and walls as the sun moves through the arc. The pendant hung light fixtures and high wall sconces provide auxiliary light during the day, and at night, the vastly different lighting level creates a very different space. Instead of light-shelves on the North, precast lintels which match the light-shelves in vertical dimensions and color on the South, allow huge quantities of favorable light in to balance the diffused light from the South.

This church is an elegant expression of its time and place. The massing of the building suggests an alliance with the beautiful Wasatch mountains, as well as an appropriate form for a worship space. The natural light is brilliantly manipulated. The inventive "light-shelves" give sunlight an almost three-dimensional quality, while the grid of stained glass is a visually restful termination to the room. All the details and materials are simple, almost background elements. As a result, the interaction among worshippers, and between the man-made and natural, is intensified.