Heavenly upgrade with Steni Colour
In Florida, the Jacksonville First Baptist Church has been renovated both inside and out. Steni Colour façade panels gave the building new life.
Challenging renovation job
Jacksonville, Florida, is home to the recently renovated First Baptist Church. The first part of the project was to refurbish the inside of an auditorium of over 9,000 square meters. New seating, upgraded stage and general new aesthetics were ready during 2021.
Phase 2 then started with the renovation of the dilapidated exterior, where Steni Colour façade panels gave the building new life.
"There were several different types of challenges. This project took place during the COVID pandemic. We are very pleased and the church is thrilled. There have been positive comments from the community. We took a nearly 40-year-old building and gave it new life and are very proud of the result," said Ron Sutton, from the project's general contractor Williams & Rowe.
We took a nearly 40-year-old building and gave it new life.Ron Sutton, Williams & Rowe
A large collaborative project
The design of the façade was so complex that it required an unusually close collaboration between the parties to complete the job. Throughout the challenging time with the corona pandemic and afterwards, Steni has worked closely with the architects, fitter, GC, the manufacturers and the church.
Jan Terje Nielsen, Steni's Brand Manager, is very pleased with both the architect's design and the implementation of the project:
"Steni is proud and honored to supply façade panels for such a beautiful church as FBC Jacksonville. Novus Architects has done a tremendous job of creating a truly stunning design. N-RG Cladding LLC, installer; Williams & Rowe General Contractors; and our American distributor, Omnis, managed the planning and installation of this complex building in a highly professional and precise manner. We know your congregation can enjoy your appearance for the long haul and without maintenance – backed by our 60-year warranty.
FACTS
Steni Colour – product features:
- Virtually infinite range of colors
- 60-year functional warranty
- Long shelf life with low cost
- Low carbon footprint
- Easy to assemble and disassemble
- Impact resistant - withstands slipper handling
- Frost resistant and waterproof
- Minimal need for maintenance
Need for quality and efficiency
For the church's pastor, Coty Hoskins, Steni's guarantee of function and longevity were important. Before the renovation, there was a problem with water ingress, so to ensure the updated interior there was a need for a protective exterior in addition to beautiful aesthetics.
"The Novus design team was helpful in choosing how to layer the Steni Colour panels to create the look we went for," says the pastor.
What was most important to me was the expected lifetime and the warranty on STENI façade panels.Coty Hoskins, Pastor i Jacksonville First Baptist Church
Another reason why Steni panels were chosen for the project is there light weight. Project manager at N-RG Cladding, Kyle Burgess, explains that they have previously used heavy and "bulky" panels, which would have been difficult to get as high up as needed here. He also points out that pre-cut and pre-drilled plates saved them several weeks of assembly time.
Composed of seven different Steni Colour panels with two gloss levels
To achieve the desired expression, seven different colours were selected in combination with both a high gloss and a semi-matte finish. Thus, the façade consists of a total of 14 different slab types.
In terms of both aesthetics and functionality, Michael Janaskie of Novus Architects is very pleased with the choice of materials:
"We envisioned a look that honoured the original design of the building, but brings in a modern feel and a timeless quality. The question was how could we inspire, give an uplifting feeling and create an impression of heaven? The final choice of material was determined by stunning aesthetics, proven performance and long-term warranty. The choice of Steni façade panels was simply a no-brainer.
Kyle Burgess believes the colour choices and different gloss levels make Steni's façade panels unique. He also highlights the good cooperation on the project.
"It's an all-encompassing system. We didn't have a fixed pattern, so completing the design pattern was a group effort. We've all worked really well together," he said.
The final choice of material was determined by stunning aesthetics, proven performance and long-term warranty. The choice of Steni façade panels was simply a no-brainer.Michael Janaskie, Novus Architects.
