By Amy Young
Roman-inspired arches made from Italian stone, a cascading waterfall in a vast courtyard, and windows that allow natural light to stream in to every corner of the building ? it?s done and it?s almost perfect. Now it just needs one more thing.
After 28 months of construction, the new Joseph F. Smith Building is finally ready for its dedication.
In his speech at the 2002 groundbreaking ceremony, President Thomas S. Monson said he hoped the spirit of Joseph F. Smith would linger in the building. The JFSB honors the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who was known for his love of family and education.
Smith exemplified the virtues and traits of character that we should all wish to possess, Monson said.
The new 280,000-square-foot JFSB is home to two of the largest colleges at BYU: The College of Family, Home and Social Sciences and the College of Humanities. In addition to two colleges, the building houses 27 classrooms, 401 faculty and administrator offices, a large auditorium, a theater and a three-level parking structure with 265 stalls.
The auditorium is unique in that it was built as a turntable classroom. The room can be used to seat 250 people, or the outer portions can turn and become separate classrooms, making three learning spaces instead of one.
?The new building has several aspects that allow us to better meet the needs of our faculty and students,? said Scott Dunaway, assistant dean of the College of Family, Home and Social Sciences. ?Because of the design of the building our faculty is able to interact across departments within the college and discuss similar research ideas. We are also able to teach more students in high quality rooms, improving their educational experience.?
Another unique feature of the building is the International Sports Center. In the center, students can watch international television, adding to their learning experience. The center is open for use by classes and clubs who want to enrich the whole international experience.
The JFSB also houses a preschool and kindergarten complete with an outdoor playground, which is used as a child and family studies lab. The school?s services are available to anyone with children ages 4 to 6.
The theme of the JFSB is ?light and truth? ? a theme that can be seen throughout every aspect of the building. The architectural firm, FFKR, led by Frank Ferguson, designed the building around a central courtyard, allowing natural light into all of the offices. In the courtyard, water springs out of a rocky fountain, alluding to the springing of knowledge.
The structure was designed to reflect the style of medieval European universities ? schools known for seeking knowledge from God.
Other than the religious undertones in the architecture, the JFSB hosts a variety of exhibits ? both permanent and rotating ? that tie religion and education together.
?Education in Zion? is a permanent exhibit that showcases the stories of people who have created an educational tradition in the church. The exhibit features seven different sections highlighting stories about faith and education.
?The exhibits add a lot to the building,? said Charles Chamberlin, a sophomore from Dodge City, Kan. ?It helps you to focus on the spiritual aspects of education. Most of the classes in the building are social sciences and it serves as a reminder to focus on helping other people.?