A Better View

After a year of scaffolding in the way, this is our new view.

The timing is perfect -- the new temple shines in the morning light as new buds appear.

The west side scaffolding came down last week.

The north side appeared a week before that.

Today we can see the south side.

The stone arch in the gable used to have slats for ventilation and wasn't nearly this pretty.

I found a photo which shows the south side of the tabernacle.  Fortunately, the photographer wasn't limited by construction fences.  We can see the arch before the 2010 fire.

Each gable was vented by these slats.  Since the new temple uses an automated heating and cooling system, the arches are now purely decorative, with no slats necessary. 

The south side of the temple, when basking in the morning light, is the most photogenic.  The new gable windows are easy to see.  The small window above the two center arched windows has what is called a squinch diamond shape.  I did not make that up.  A blog reader found another possible description of this shape: a Reuleaux Triangle.  

The arches at the top of these windows were created from equilateral triangles.

There is a religious component to a triangle where the sides are the same length.  This can represent the Godhead: The Father, Son and Holy Ghost, equal in purpose.

It was a little tricky photographing the south side this morning, but as I walked along Second South I was able to change the perspective and capture some of the windows.

This window on the second level has elements which include abstracts of pillars.  You can see a representation of a pillar on each side, with a third in the center.  Pillars can represent the connection between heaven and earth.  Interestingly, temples can have this same symbolic meaning.

This window, at ground level, contains floral designs, which can represent the Tree of Life.  This is actually a religious concept throughout the eastern world.

In the center of the floral design is an abstract shield.  I had to have this pointed out to me, so I did my best to mark it for you.  A shield can represent the armor of God.

A shield is also at the top of this art glass design, and again at the bottom.  A torch rises from an abstract lotus or lily, both of which can represent purity and the love of God.

With two of the four towers uncovered, we can admire the new niches.  The windows and niches on the second level have a more gothic arch.

A flatter arch tops the windows and niches at ground level.  Heat tubing is appearing from the bottom of the copper water collection system on the right to keep snowmelt from freezing.

Three of the gablets are finally visible.  No one has given me a tutorial on the design of the gablets, but the sunburst at the top reminds me a little of the Nauvoo sunstones.  A lightning rod rises from the top of each gablet.

Moroni has his own lightning rod.

The south lot is actually not a jumble of geofoam.  Men have been hard at work.  The area in the lower half of this picture is being prepared to be a small parking lot.

I was fortunate to receive some help from a knowledgeable onlooker this morning.  Bases for two light posts are visible. This man was sure the black pipe from last week is a drain line, perhaps from the south garden or the parking lot. That line connects in the center of this photo to a concrete drainage box.  A green pipe runs from it straight toward us, but actually drains to the south lift station to the left, not pictured here.

A small forest has been delivered to the site, which is visible on the right.  

This view from the construction cam shows that quite a bit of dirt has also been delivered, which is good news for the trees.

Trees are still being planted in the north garden.  Notice the scaffolding on the east side of the temple.  An exterior lift, which was in use as I walked by, is associated with that.  I tried but failed to learn when it would come down, but I remain hopeful.

I am also anxious for the white sheeting to be removed from the steeple.

A visitor to the site over the weekend alerted me to something interesting.  You are not seeing an incomplete lamp post in the center of this photo.

Maybe this is some kind of a weather station.  Hopefully we will all be enlightened soon.

Two cement trucks were at the site this morning.

One delivered concrete for a new circle at University Avenue and Center Street.

A second truck gently filled a row of wheelbarrows at the south driveway which were then pushed into the underground garage.

I love seeing the refurbished brick, the new windows and the beautiful stones.

I couldn't help but wonder what the pioneers would think to see this new temple.

I have no doubt they would be pleased that their efforts have been preserved as much as possible.

And for sure they would all be signing up for this summer's run.