2020 - 2024
Temple Dedication June 16, 2024
Temple Facts |
The Layton Utah Temple will be the nineteenth temple built in Utah
and the second built in Davis County, following the Bountiful Utah
Temple (1995).
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Layton Utah Temple, which had
originally been scheduled for Saturday, May 30, 2020, was held one
week early without advance public notice. In a statement issued
later that day, Church spokesperson Irene Caso said: "Due to the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the need to limit public gatherings,
leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
determined a traditional groundbreaking for the Layton Utah Temple,
with invited guests, was not prudent. The First Presidency assigned
the Utah Area Presidency to conduct a small-scale groundbreaking,
held Saturday, May 23, so that construction could proceed."4 A
video of the service was released online the following Saturday on
the originally scheduled groundbreaking date. |
Temple Design |
Exterior |
Inspired by traditional Latter-day Saint and other religious
architecture, the Layton Temple includes design motifs that were
influenced by the agricultural heritage of the Layton City area as
well as the European Art Nouveau style sometimes referred to as
Secessionism Architecture. This architectural movement is informed
by organic shapes, floral and foliage motifs, and curving lines.
A symmetrical building with formal grounds and gardens, the
structure’s exterior consists of precast concrete panels over a
structural steel frame and cast-in-place concrete shear walls.
Some of the motifs found throughout the building include
abstractions of fruit trees and flowers rooted in the agrarian
heritage of the area and portrayed in an Art Nouveau style. These
include seedlings, fruit blossoms, and leafy fruit trees.
Abstractions of the same are found in the exterior friezes. The
exterior façade features cascading arched windows that soften the
rectilinear shape of the temple.
The rich agricultural history and tradition of David County, once
known as “The Garden Spot of Utah,” also influenced the exterior art
glass design. Stylized Art Nouveau patterns in the glass feature a
seedling growing into a fruit tree. The rich, saturated colors of
the glass vibrantly enhance the building’s exterior at night and
create a warm and inspiring interior during the day. The art glass
designers were Holdman Studios of Lehi, Utah and HNWL Architects of
Salt Lake City. Fabrication for the many windows was completed in
the Holdman production facility located in Mexico.
The temple sits on a beautiful slope between the mountains and the
valley floor, with a beautiful mountain backdrop. The perimeter of
the temple includes shade trees and common mountain zone plants and
shrubs organically arranged. Closer to the temple the plants are
more ornamental and formal, while the plaza area plants provide
color during all seasons. Flowering Cherry and Redbud trees frame
the view of the temple and the monument sign near the entrance.
MGB+A of Salt Lake City served as the landscape architect for the
beautiful gardens, which include more than 400 shade, flowering and
evergreen trees, together with thousands of shrubs and perennials.
The fountain on the west terrace of the temple mimics the temple’s
outer window structure with rounded ends. Clad in beige granite, its
tiered basins provide movement and sound as the water cascades down
from the holding pool. Design for the fountain was completed by
MGB+A Landscape Architects, and Water Design of Salt Lake City. |
Interior |
The interior spaces of the temple also reflect the Art Nouveau style
and include some of the same motifs found on the exterior, such as
seedlings, leafy branches, and cherry blossoms. The millwork
includes recessed details that were inspired by fruit tree blossoms
and leaves. These are also found in pilasters, recommend desks, pew
end panels, and altars. Organic curves were used to create the
design of light fixtures and the decorative painting. Moving upward
between floors in the temple, the designs for art glass, lighting,
flooring, and millwork become more intricate Stone.
The interior art glass matches the exterior with designs showing
stylized seedings, blossoms and leafy branches of fruit trees.
However, the interior glass is simplified with an etched design
instead of colored glass.
The temple interior also contains a beautiful, antique Tiffany art
glass piece at the entrance of the second-floor patron waiting area.
This Tiffany Studio Window, circa 1915, was purchase from a United
Presbyterian Church in Armenia New York, which was demolished in
2015. This unique and beautiful piece is entitled “The
Resurrection.”
Carpeting throughout the temple was manufactured in the USA and
consists of broadloom nylon selections of various cream, gold, and
green tones. Decorative carving in the several sealing rooms and the
celestial room was designed by NWL with help from Gregg Johnson of
Half Moon Studio. Carving was executed by Brad Kooyman.
Area Rugs in the entries, baptistry, and bride’s room include custom
pieces manufactured by Rugs International of the USA and milled in
China. They also reflect an Art Nouveau style, incorporating vibrant
colors and stylized organic flowers and foliage reminiscent of the
motifs found throughout the temple.
Stone quarried in Turkey and milled in China is used in the higher
traffic areas of the temple, including the entries, baptistry, and
grand staircase. The principal colors are Burder Grey and Burder
Blanco, incorporating a stone tile inlaid leaf pattern in hues of
green.
Beautiful decorative painting patterns consistent with the balance
of the design elements in the temple are found throughout the
temple. Floral patterns in gold and beige accent the walls of the
various ordinance rooms, while the ceilings are accentuated with
floral patterns, curving lines, and gold leafed molding surrounding
the chandeliers.
The rich dark wood used for paneling, coffered ceilings, and trim is
African Anigre which has been stained a medium brown. Doors have
been stained to match, and decorative carvings enhance the casings
above the doors leading to ordinance spaces. The millwork for the
skylight in the Celestial Room was crafted by Masterpiece Mill of
Lindon and is consistent in its Art Nouveau style.
Decorative bronze hardware and railings were custom designed to
match the motifs of the temple and were fabricated by Luan Bronze in
Utah.
The decorative lighting and chandeliers were inspired by antique Art
Nouveau light fixtures as well as the agrarian motifs that run
throughout the temple and were designed to complement the rest of
the design elements throughout the temple. The decorative fixtures
in the ordinance rooms create a lovely warm and bright and inviting
light, which helps to elevate the reverent and inspiring feel of
these spaces.
In addition to the restored but original Tiffany art glass window
“The Resurrection,” there are seven other original works of art
found in the temple. Some are older paintings from the Church’s art
collection, and others were commissioned specifically for the Layton
Temple.
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“Zion’s Mount” — Josh Clare, Utah
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“Layton Morning” — David Dibble, Utah
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“Layton Evening” — David Dibble
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“Ascension of Christ” — Michael Malm, Utah
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“Beside the Creek” — Ken Stockton, Arizona
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“Mountains In Winter – Farmington Utah” — LeConte Stewart, Utah,
1891 - 1990 |