Stromberg GRG at the Ave Maria

The Ave Maria Oratory was built in Ave Maria, Florida as the central feature of the university. Steel was used for construction for the Gothic inspired structure, and The Stromberg Group was selected to supply the acoustical stone textured GRG panels.

Ave Maria founder Tom Monaghan is one of the world's largest collectors of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright and the Ave Maria Oratory was based on Wright's work.Monaghan drew the building's first sketches himself on a paper napkin. The architects at Cannon Design completed the design.

The 120-foot tall, $24 million building features a distinctive steel structure, which is largely exposed both internally and externally. Over 1,270 tons of fabricated structural steel was used in the project. The interior walls and ceiling were clad with over 50,000 square feet of Stromberg GRG. In March 2008, Diocese of Venice Bishop Frank Dewane dedicated the 1,100 seat church.

Complex curves and intersections made possible with Stromberg GRG

The complex geometry of the panels, the myriad of rolled beams at various radius and the multiple steel penetrations made the GRG panel design and fabrication challenging. To accurately produce the geometry of the panels, Stromberg used CAD design and CNC to help control the complicated shapes of the multiple GRG panels. Stromberg's ability to accurately fabricate the GRG panels to the changing radius points reduced complications in the highly complex ceiling.As a side benefit of the Stromberg CAD drawing process, the Stromberg GRG detailers were able to provide multiple services for the designers, contractors and installers, including 3D rendered images to aid the installers and designers in visualizing the finished product, diagrams for the curved GRG panels and full scale templates for verification of field conditions.

Acoustics and Stromberg GRG

Stromberg GRG (glass fiber reinforced gypsum) was selected for the project for appearance and acoustical value. Stromberg stone texture GRG is a unique blend of gypsum, glass fibers, mineral fillers and mineral pigments. The GRG panels are cast with a travertine like pitted and textured surface to provide superior acoustical properties. Acoustical consultants rely on the unique properties of Stromberg acoustical GRG for concert halls, meeting spaces and cathedrals.

Comments about the acoustics of Ave Maria:

"a lecture/demonstration of Gregorian chanting was underway when I entered, bathing me in an acoustical wash of rich sound as the music floated up to massive steel arches soaring 100 feet high over a nave of nearly 25,000 square feet."
Richard Storm, award winning architecture and music critic in Sarasota Magazine.

Comments from celebrants at the opening:

"The music was truly sublime and the acoustics were astounding"
J. Gardner

"The divine music from the choir loft in the rear of the church, where the choir and organ are located was inspiring and the acoustics were amazing."
R. James

"I find that acoustics are often overlooked in church design and was delighted with the clarity and beauty of the music and the beauty of the soaring stone (G.R.G) arches overhead"
D. Johnson

Summary

The finished building is a symphony of materials, engineering, architecture, and construction all coming together to create the worship space. The unique design, based on historic church architecture, has been recreated in contemporary materials with traditional crafts and modern technology. The Stromberg GRG panels provide the stone look and feel to the interior while providing superior acoustic performance.