• 200 different colors of paint used to rec-reate historic paint schemes

• 6.5 million pounds of concrete reinforcing steel used in restoration

• About 4,771 construction workers helped with project

• Two years to plan reconstruction, more than six years of design and construction

• 5,022 pieces of new terra cotta placed in drum and dome in Capitol

• 76 miles of audio visual wire and cable installed

Architect then

Richard Karl August Kletting

Although German-born and educated primarily in Paris, Richard K.A. Kletting became known as the "Dean of Utah Architects" for his 30 years of work in the state. His portfolio included the original Saltair Resort on the southeast shore of the Great Salt Lake, the McIntyre Building on South Temple and the Utah State Capitol.

Kletting was selected in 1912 as the architect for the Capitol. His design for the building is known as a Beaux Arts classical revival, which is similar to the U.S. Capitol. Kletting worked in Utah from 1890 until 1920.

Architect now

David H. Hart

The first time he was asked to be the primary architect behind the reconstruction of the state Capitol, David Hart said no. "I frankly did not want the aggravation of the lengthy commitment to a single project," he wrote in a biographical piece.

But Hart said the challenge of preserving and restoring the historical integrity of the Capitol soon won him over. He agreed to the task and began work in 2001 after leaving his private practice.

Isolator: How it works

One of the top reasons for renovating the state Capitol was to protect the building from collapsing during an earthquake. From May 2005 until May 2007, crews installed 265 "base isolators" beneath the Capitol to allow the building to move up to 24 inches in any direction during an earthquake. The isolators act as a sort of shock absorber.

The isolators were designed to allow the Capitol to withstand a 7.3 magnitude earthquake and reduce the seismic impact on the building by 75 to 80 percent, according to Jerod Johnson of Reaveley Engineers and Associates. To install the isolators, crews had to remove the Capitol's old foundation of concrete columns. The building now sits upon the base isolators, which rest atop new concrete footings.

The isolator provides a flexible cushion between the structure and the mat footing (foundation).