Beautiful Windows, Part II

Despite the clouds, Lee Cowan captured beautiful things happening at the site.

The windows beside each large upper opening have been installed on all four sides. Two can be seen in their glory here from the north.

Lee has closely watched the prep work.  First, orange insulation foam fills the gaps around the wooden jambs.

Then, flashing is installed over the jambs.

These two west windows were the last to be completed this afternoon.

You recall the arrival of these windows two weeks ago.  Glass was not installed in the lower sashes to facilitate their delivery.

These windows are triple-glazed.  The art glass is protected on the interior and exterior with laminated glass.  This provides sound-proofing from downtown noises and also protection from dangerous pigeons.

Glass in the lower sash is the last step.

Other workmen at the site were not standing around admiring the windows.  They were busy.

Lee calls these building blocks, literally.

The finished look of the west side will soon move to the south lot.

The building and the grounds are changing every day, but Moroni is safe.

Even at night.

Beautiful Windows

Lee Cowan took pictures at the temple site for us today. We are seeing a stained glass window on the south side through a window opening on the north.

A workman completes the installation of this window on the east side.

Lee watched the installation for quite awhile on Saturday and again today.  The process is not simple.

The flashing covers the wood in the window jambs we saw a month ago.

This window on the east side is complete.

The window looks beautiful next to the brick and sandstone.

During Lee's Saturday visit to the site, he took a picture of the south planter with newly poured concrete.

This morning the men were working in snow.

This afternoon's view from the cam lets us see the planter from above and also shows the pavilion being enclosed for the winter. 

Lee happened upon one of the many geofoam deliveries.

The temple site might be a glacial field this winter.

We are fortunate to have Lee and his camera take pictures for us.

The window installation is not something we want to miss!

Windows in Stealth Mode

Lee Cowan visited the site yesterday and captured these two windows which had been placed on the south side.  He hoped to see more, but no luck.

Joe Prows visited the site today, in the rain, with his wife's camera, and saw the windows.

He said it appears to be a long process, with a lot of attention to detail.

He watched them work on an opening along the east side. 

The wooden jambs were prepared and then covered with what he guessed was an aluminum surface.

Several blog readers have alerted me to masons working on the north planter.  This picture is from today's construction cam.

Joe captured this picture of the masons at work.

He thoughtfully included a picture of the sandstone.

Joe also took this photo of the newly exposed steeple base.  The scaffolding prevented some of the panels from being installed.

The jumbled north lot is now looking like it's ready for bulbs. 

But we're not waiting for flowers.  We're waiting for windows.

Waiting For Windows

Lee Cowan visited the temple site yesterday, hoping to see new windows.  You remember Lee.  He and his father Dr. Richard Cowan, are collaborating on a book about Provo's two temples.

No windows yet, but Lee did capture a choreographed assembly line.  These workmen are removing scaffolding from the steeple base.

Ultimately, all the beautiful milled woodwork will look as great as this frieze board on the southeast tower.

I took a look via the construction cam this morning.  With the scaffolding off the roof, the slate can be completed.  The planter south of the pavilion, currently wearing a shower cap, was poured Wednesday morning.

The truth is, we are all watching for windows.

Octagons and Other Symbols

I have, of late, found myself thinking about octagons, wondering if there was some symbolism.

I made a new friend yesterday, and if you can believe it, the topic of octagons randomly came up. 

The roof of the pavilion is an octagon.  We knew that already.

Eight sides.  That's the definition.

Each of the four towers has a roof with an octagonal base.

The base of the steeple roof is also an octagon.

You might have forgotten that there is an octagon below the steeple base.  This octagon is above the celestial room, and these steel sections will be filled with art glass.

Symbolically, the octagon is known as a bridge between heaven and earth.

A cube can represent earth, or a stable foundation.

The base of our new temple forms a rectangle, not a cube, but the symbolism is the same.  In fact, this symbolism is prevalent in much of religious architecture.  The structure represents the Church, a firm foundation.

A dome represents the expanse of heaven.

Many public and religious buildings have domes, including the Utah State Capitol.

I found a dome, or at least an arch, at the temple this morning.

The finials each have a dome.

The finials share this theme with Moroni.

We admire Moroni, but have we noticed the dome?

The finial and Moroni's base were designed to be similar.

The new lamps have domes.

I suspect the domes in the finials, Moroni's base, and the lamps were all planned.

An octagon can be the bridge between the dome and a cube by providing a structure where the dome can rest.

The lower dome of the lamp rests on a hexagon, not an octagon.

However, the concept is the same.

Symbols can strike our hearts and completely bypass our brains.

The statue of Moroni is a powerful symbol in LDS culture.

The circle is another symbolic architectural feature.  If we aren't thinking about symbols, though, we'll just see a pretty fountain and check our pockets for coins, and not pause to think about eternity.

The grounds will feature many circles.  Planters on the north and south are circular.  The walkways will also be circular.

When Provo City chose lights for downtown, they were thinking of a particular style, not of symbols.

Sometimes if we want to see the symbols, we have to look for the imagery.

Interestingly, Nephi said he spoke in plainness, but then he used Isaiah's imagery.  Meaningful symbols can pass through the generations and provide revelation to those who study the words of the prophets. 

Setting symbols aside, let's look at some images from this morning's visit.

More fence posts on the north side.

The wall around the mechanical building has been covered with plastic, and heated.

Yuki Dorff took this picture over the weekend, before the plastic was in place.  Notice the stacks of  brick. 

My camera spied two rows in place above the sandstone watercourse.  Provo has been enjoying freezing temperatures, not conducive to mortar curing.

Geofoam around the pavilion is being sculpted.

The driveway at the south entrance now looks useable.  Sort of.

The paint on the steeple base is dry.

I watched the construction cam while putting up this post, and the scaffolding is coming down quickly!

The windows which were recently delivered are still inside the building but should be installed soon.

I learned some trivia.  The original tabernacle did not have art glass windows.  The best the pioneers could do was install a very functional glass, likely frosted, called fire safety glass, or chicken-wire glass.  These windows were replaced in 1917 with art glass.

Let's all watch for windows!