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The theme of family can be seen over and over again in the sermons of Joseph F. Smith, said Elder M. Russell Ballard Sept. 20. Therefore, it is fitting, he added, that a new building named for the early prophet will house BYU students who study the family.
"I don't know of anybody who longed for or desired more to be connected with family than did Joseph F. Smith," said Elder Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve and a direct descendant of the Church's sixth prophet.
Speaking during a luncheon held in the gallery of the new building for donors, Church leaders and BYU officials, Elder Ballard echoed the sentiments of President Gordon B. Hinckley, who dedicated the building during BYU's weekly campus devotional earlier in the day.
"We dedicate it as a place for teaching and learning, for pondering and reflecting on the wonders of the world in which we live and on the eternal verities of life," said President Hinckley during the dedicatory prayer.
President Hinckley also expressed gratitude for the "unique and beautiful structure, designed with unusual features that speak of the glories of the universe." (See page 3 for the report on President Hinckley's address.)
Built on the site of the old Joseph F. Smith Family Living Center west of the Harold B. Lee Library, the 280,000-square-foot Joseph F. Smith Building is now home to the two largest colleges on campus: the College of Family, Home and Social Sciences, and the College of Humanities.
The building's 25 classrooms can accommodate 1,400 students. In addition, it houses faculty offices, academic centers, laboratories, conference rooms, a large auditorium, a theater and a three-level, underground parking lot.
On Sundays and at other times during the week, the building will also house 10 student wards.
University officials estimate that more than half of the entire BYU student body — sometime during their stay at BYU — will have classes or other experiences in the building.
Constructed with the theme of "light and truth," the modern glass facade of the building's main entrance contrasts with a cloistered inner courtyard featuring a fountain. The light-drenched gallery is designed to house a series of exhibits, many of which will focus on the theme of family.
"The architectural design of this building emphasizes openness to the light of heaven," said Joseph Fielding McConkie, a BYU professor and descendant of Joseph F. Smith. "May that light rest on all those who labor within these walls."
President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, and other Church leaders broke ground on the new building on May 16, 2002. Paid for with private donations, the building contains more than double the square footage of the former Joseph F. Smith Family Living Center.
Also included in the building are:
- The Family History and Genealogy Center, which is the hub for family
history education and where more than 800 students each semester are
trained in the basics of family history research, including computerized
genealogical programs.
- The Humanities Technology and Research Report Center, which is a
multi-faceted, computer-supported environment that assists students taking
one of the many foreign language courses offered at BYU.
- The Child and Family Studies Laboratory, founded in 1950, which is a
popular campus fixture. It serves more than 280 preschool and kindergarten
children annually and provides a research base for the university's
marriage, family and human development programs.
- The Anthropology Laboratory, which provides much-needed space for training students in skills unique to this discipline, such as studies in museum presentation, primitive technology and human osteology.
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