Helena, Montana Temple

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been facing a significant increase in demand for temples worldwide. To meet this demand, the Church partnered with Haskell to develop a modular approach for temple construction to accelerate the schedule of these projects without sacrificing quality. Although modular construction is not new, it has never been applied to temple construction in this way before. The Helena Temple was the first project to test the viability of this new approach.

The Helena Temple is an example of the Church’s high standards for materials and quality, featuring Portuguese stone for the exterior, Turkish stone for the interior, and quarter-sawn cherry wood. Using these hard surface materials required a high degree of precision that is atypical in modular construction. The successful incorporation of these elements attests to the extensive planning, engineering and oversight involved in the temple’s construction.

Despite being half the size of a typical Church temple, the Helena Temple fulfills all of the Church’s rigorous requirements without sacrificing design quality or comfort for worshippers. The temple’s architecture seamlessly combines Romanesque and Art Deco styles, blending with the historical buildings of Helena, MT. The exterior design features a unique Buttercup plant motif inspired by Native American geometric patterns local to the region.

Emphasizing Sustainability, Social Impact and Diversity

Sustainability was a crucial consideration for this project, with landscaping plants selected for suitability to the local climate and minimal need for irrigation. The design-build team also considered ways to make a positive social impact by donating modular panels to a local subcontractor for use in temporary housing units. The temporary panels can be quickly and easily deployed to assist individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Through these positive impacts, the design-build team and the LDS Church demonstrated their commitment to the local community.

The project team included members from countries such as Brazil, Portugal, Peru, Mexico, Haiti and the Philippines, which added a unique global perspective. This diversity created an atmosphere of learning and collaboration, as team members were encouraged to share their insights and contribute to the collective success of the project. This inclusive work environment rich in talent, expertise and fresh perspectives cultivated creativity, encouraged collaboration, and ultimately led to successfully completing a Temple that exceeded expectations.

Design-Build Team

Photos