A Sense of Place: Site and Landscape Designs for Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

This presentation will include Kevin’s career serving over 24 years as a landscape architect for temples and other major projects for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Follow Kevin’s career, as he reveals the unique characteristics and criteria related to design of temple sites, the Church’s Conference Center rooftop gardens, and other major projects for the Church. He will also discuss his rare role working with landscape architects throughout the world, and encouraging increasing roles of landscape architects with the design process. Kevin R. Shields serves as Sr. Landscape Architect for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is one of 3 landscape architects employed by the Church. He has served as a landscape architect for the Church for 24 years and currently directs the landscape and site design for temples and other major Church projects. When Kevin was hired by the Church in early 1997 there were 50 temples. As of this write-up there are now 252 temples built, under construction, or recently announced. There have also been many other temple sites undertake major landscape renovations during his tenure, including the current Salt Lake Temple renovation project which includes over 20 acres of urban design. He also assisted with the design and construction of the Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake. Kevin’s job is unique as a landscape architect. Rather than compete with other landscape architects for work he helps landscape architects and other consultants throughout the world by providing design direction, quality, and expectations unique to Church facilities. He has strongly promoted and advocated the need for landscape architects on these projects and has been thrilled to see so many architects and others hiring landscape architects or employing them within their firms. Prior to working with the Church, Kevin worked in a small multi-disciplinary firm in California for 7 years where he was able to work on a variety of site planning and landscape projects from lakeside and golf course developments and new university master plans to hospitals and small commercial properties. Kevin holds a BLA degree from Utah State University, is a long-time member of ASLA, and is a strong supporter of Utah State University and the LAEP program, serving as a mentor in the LAEP program for many years, and serving on the Tooele County USU Alumni Board and as Board President, raising thousands of dollars in scholarships for many students wishing to attend USU.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/laep_speakerseries/1004/thumbnail.jp