The Boston LDS Temple, Belmont, MA

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Located atop the second highest peak in the metropolitan Boston area, the site of the new Boston Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints commands sweeping views of the Massachusetts landscape. Both steep and laden with granite boulders, the site presented several design challenges. As Principal in Charge, Jerry Brown was able to create a master plan and construction documents which revealed the majesty and beauty of the hilltop site, while creating harmony between it and the surrounding residential area.

The design expresses the site through a sequence of landscape features. A formal arrival space, wrapped in granite walls, invites visitors up to the Temple’s entrance. A south-facing terrace, featuring granite stairs, furniture, lighting and ornamental plantings, provides a quiet place for contemplation, while shielding drivers entering a separate arrival center below. The plantings chosen for the grounds complement the surrounding landscape, then transition to white flowering perennials near to the building.