Located in Immokalee, FL, the Ave Maria Oratory features a variety of metal construction products including 34,000 sq. ft. of custom metal skin--Dorian Grey double lock standing seam panels, which were highlighted with .090 stretch formed architectural faux battens. Eight exposed structural steel buttresses are highlighted by stretch form radius .125” thick custom painted aluminum plate panels. Also, diamond shaped hook seam shingles cover the elliptical shaped apse roof.

The geometry of the building presented several challenges; the oratory roof façade contains several punched window openings and skylights which had to be positioned and flashed carefully to allow a watertight seal and weep condensation to the exterior. All of the transverse seams criss-cross from bay to bay to mirror the structural steel which is exposed on the interior of the church and also can be seen through the windows from the outside. All of the parts had to be either rolled or stretched formed to follow the changing radius of the roof. This entailed hundreds of hours of layout using AutoCAD, 3D modeling and field layout.

M.G. McGrath Inc., based in Maplewood, MN, fabricated the metal products for the Ave Maria Oratory, which was designed by Cannon Design, Grand Island, NY. The metal construction contractor was Suffolk-Kraft (joint venture) Ave Maria Towne, Immokalee, FL. Also supplying metal products was Firestone Metal Products, Anoka MN.