Our Focus

Squaremoon Studio focuses on innovation in residential architecture, sacred space, and adaptive reuse, and brings fresh ideas to any project, springing from the belief that thoughtful design creates better ways of living.

Residential – Designing a home is an opportunity to construct a reflection of the world as you wish to experience it now and into the future. It is a privilege to help clients craft their sense of luxury which comes in many forms. It is an opportunity to help clients make the most of their opportunities at any price point. It starts with asking the right questions. A well crafted design process matters.

Sacred Space – Sacred space is the space between. It is not an end but a lens creating relationship between disparate entities. As host to our most deeply held questions, the sacred space of today’s changing world re-asks the most fundamental human questions, which can only be asked in the present.

Adaptive Reuse – A building’s can be revitalized and reborn many times. Whether its shell is to be preserved, or its skeleton, whether it is to be revitalized or reimagined, repurposed buildings retain a link to the past and give character to new uses in the present. The most sustainable building is often the one that is already standing.

Our History

While Squaremoon Studio is new, Principal Doug Staker is not so new. He has been the Architect on numerous custom homes and commercial projects. Much of this work cannot be shown online but please inquire for more information.


“It was a real pleasure to work with Doug of Squaremoon Studio. He was the Lead Architect on the design and build of our new home on Capitol Hill. He was able to bring our vision of a modern home to life in stunning detail. Our home won several awards at the 2023 SLC Parade of Homes, including the prestigious Builders Choice Award. Doug was both creative and brilliant in his use of scope, space, style, and unique building materials to deliver our family dream home.”

-Former Client

Doug Staker, Principal Architect

Doug Staker is the principal architect with Squaremoon Studio. He was previously the Head of Architecture at Ezra Lee Design+Build and a Principal at Dynia Architects. These roles included being the Architect on many luxury homes in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Arizona, and Oregon. Previous work also includes a wide range of projects such as a boutique hotel, a food hall, office buildings, residential buildings, and affordable housing.

Doug has a Masters of Architecture degree from UCLA (2003), where he studied with leading architects and theorists like Thom Mayne, Amy Kulper, Neil Denari, Mark Lee, David Erdman, Sylvia Lavin, Richard Wienstein with coaching by Frank Gehry. He also has a degree in Illustration from BYU (1997). Doug leads an art installation called Sanctuary exploring sacred space since 2018.

Prior Work

  • Prior work includes being the lead/licensed architect on upwards of 20 custom homes ranging from 2,000 to 20,000+ square feet.

  • Architect on multiple Sports Arena clubs and suites.

  • Project Management and Project Design Management on:

    • Source Hotel (8 stories)

    • Source Food Hall adaptive reuse (28,000 sf)

    • Restaurant design

    • Brewery Design

    • Retail, Coffee, and Office TI Design

    • Office Buildings - new and adaptive reuse (up to 60,000 sf)

    • Multifamily Residential (up to 48 units)

    • Golf Clubhouse

    • Education (Technical College)

    • Concept design on multiple large scale mixed use developments.

    • Manufacturing facilities including clean rooms.

Credentials

  • Prior work has received more than 20 AIA design awards, plus ULI, Parade of Homes, and other design awards.

  • Work published in Dezeen, Common Edge. Prior work has been published in ArchDaily, Dezeen, Architectural Record, A+T, Utah Style&Design, Modern in Denver.

  • Sustainable Projects include:

    • Net zero energy ranch compound in Arizona

    • LEED Silver office building in Denver, Colorado (Project Manager)

    • First 15 homes certified under LEED for Homes in Wyoming (Project Manager)

  • Licensed in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Arizona, California, and Oregon with a national NCARB certificate. Has also completed work in Colorado and Montana.

Kylie Jensen, Architectural Designer

Kylie is an architectural designer bringing strong design and image-making skills to the firm. She graduated from the University of Utah in 2025 and is a graduate student at the University of Washington. She is the Communications Director for the WIAS along with the treasurer for the AIAS. Kylie’s passion lies in leveraging architecture to improve community well-being while addressing the pressing challenges of climate change and social equity.

“One of the most transformative experiences of my undergraduate career was working with Salt Lake City's Japantown community during a design studio focused on justice and identity. Through direct dialogue with residents, I created a proposal aimed at reviving a marginalized cultural district within a dominant urban narrative. It was here I realized the powerful potential of architecture as a tool for storytelling, repair, and empowerment.” - Kylie -