‘Does everything have to be vanilla?’ — A new LDS temple rises in Utah, but some lament what was lost

Provo • Whether called the “spaceship” or the “cupcake,” the old Provo Temple held a special spot in the hearts of many Utah County Latter-day Saints.

But now it’s getting not only a new name from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but also a whole new look. And as that new, yet familiar, form takes shape along the city’s east bench, some are mourning the loss of the temple’s previously distinctive design.

“It just looks like so many other temples now,” Orem resident Fred Owens said. “I was disappointed to not have the old design maintained. … Does everything have to be vanilla?”

Owens said he attended the Provo Temple for more than 30 years. He and his wife, Trudy Owens, adopted multiple children and established a familial connection to the building when they were “sealed” to their kids there. It was a place that highlighted the unique nature of his family.

“We loved the old Provo Temple,” he said. “I loved the unusual design.”

The Space Age Provo Temple, with its circular drum, certainly had its detractors after it opened in 1972. A twin temple 80 miles to the north, in Ogden, debuted that same year. The Weber County structure underwent its overhaul and reopened in 2014.

In 2021, church President Russell M. Nelson announced plans to make over the Provo Temple as well. It shut down in February 2024 — despite a last-ditch petition to preserve its design — and crews began tearing it down weeks later.

The new structure is expected to reopen sometime in late 2027 as the Provo Rock Canyon Temple.

Provo resident Jacob Roberts, a former Brigham Young University student, said he understands the need to update the half-century-old temple. But he wishes the church had preserved its architectural integrity and laments the “historical loss.”

Roberts points to the church’s painstaking preservation efforts at the Provo City Center Temple, which rose from the ashes of a devastating fire that tore through the historic Provo Tabernacle. It even used salvaged bricks from the charred structure for the exterior.

That would have been a great compromise for the Provo Temple, Roberts said. “Instead, they just tore it down and built a cookie-cutter [one].”

This rebranding by the church seems to be intentional, according to architectural historian Alan Barnett.

He explained that Latter-day Saint temples are known for their exquisite designs and attention to detail. But with the sheer number of new temples being constructed — 208 have been dedicated across the globe with plans in the works to build 174 more — it appears, he added, the church is cutting corners in creating designs specifically tailored for communities where they stand.

“It’s hard to feel a sense of ownership,” Barnett said, “over something that has a certain mass-produced quality.”

A Provo native, Barnett grew up blocks away from the old temple. He said the building was one of the reasons he gravitated to architecture. To Barnett, the distinctive temple was a testament to the understanding of the divine of Latter-day Saint locals.

“And that’s what I think the church has sort of gotten offtrack,” he said. “Even though they use these really expensive materials and they get the very best craftsmanship, the designs are all … mass-produced and not particularly inspiring.”

Barnett said he hopes this “corporate” execution of architecture from the church fades and that new designs strive to recapture the approachable feel of older models.

Meanwhile, preliminary work on water, sewer and electricity to support the Lehi Temple has begun, the church announced Monday in a news release. “Design work ... is ongoing,” it added, “and a date for an official groundbreaking ceremony has not yet been announced.”

Note to readers • Dylan Eubank is a Report for America corps member covering faith in Utah County for The Salt Lake Tribune. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories.