St. Mary’s Campus

A place for profound connection and spiritual growth

  • Type Religious,
  • Location Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Area 56,760 s.f.
  • Status In Progress
  • Date 2024
  • Collaborators

    Designed with Reddymade

On the St. Mary’s Campus, every individual—from devoted parishioners to curious visitors—can embark on a journey of profound connection, self-discovery, and spiritual growth. Located on the corner of Centennial Mall opposite the Nebraska State Capitol, the expanded campus—with the historic church building as its centerpiece—is envisioned as both a place of worship and a vibrant center of community life.

A new mixed-use building replaces two derelict existing structures, breathing new life into the area. The building strategically pulls back from the urban edge to reveal the church and focus views toward the Capitol, creating a balance of past and present architectural elements. The gently curved facade cradles a semi-circular public plaza and event space, inviting people to gather, celebrate, and reflect. This thoughtfully designed outdoor area serves as a versatile venue for community events, performances, and informal gatherings.

The new building is envisioned as a mass timber structure, showcasing sustainable practices. The curving fritted glass facade receives visitors with a large-scale image pattern generated by an artist from the local community. This artistic touch not only enhances the building’s welcome but also reinforces the connection between the campus and the local culture, creating a sense of ownership and pride among residents.

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The narrow, west end of the four-story building is anchored by a chapel and occupied by the rectory offices and clergy apartments. This section provides a serene and dedicated space for spiritual leadership and support. Meanwhile, the east end serves the public with a cafe/wine bar, lobby, and family resource center on the ground floor, fostering social interaction and support. The second floor offers a multipurpose event space, ideal for community gatherings, workshops, and celebrations. The third level houses ministry and classrooms, supporting educational and spiritual development. The fourth floor is dedicated to incubator and tenant offices, promoting innovation and entrepreneurship within the community.

Second floor event space

Prominently located opposite the Nebraska State Capitol (Bertram Goodhue, 1932)

Urban context
Site Section and conceptual division of program
Materials and construction

The west, north and east (Centennial Mall) elevations are clad in richly textured, highly durable GFRC panels in a muted buff color similar to the Capitol and surrounding civic buildings. The south wall is clad in a high quality curtain wall with structural-silicone glazing and off-white ceramic frit in an organic ornamental pattern. The curtain wall encourages views to the Capitol from all floors.

Cast in place, concrete basement garage
Mass timber primary structure (exposed on interiors only)
Pre-cast pavers (continue from plaza into main lobby)
Ground concrete topping slabs (interior floors)
Bronze anodized aluminum mullions & infill panels (ground floor curtain wall)
Bronze anodized aluminum soffit panels
Laminated timber & aluminum mullions + SSG glazing with ceramic frit (2nd-4th floor curtain wall)
Textured, GFRC wall panels over rain screen framing
Pre-cast concrete and cut stone paving
Landscape featuring native trees, shrubs and grasses

2024 AIA Central States Region Award jury comments

“This project proposes a mixed-use building that will offer a new urban space framed by historic downtown buildings. We appreciated the contrast of the abstract gesture of the new façade to the church and find the relationship of the new public plaza to the urban environment, especially the historic church building, to be very strong. The structure is proposed to be mass timber, which we hope will be maintained. We look forward to seeing the development of this project.”

Project Awards

2024 AIA Central States Region Merit Award
2024 AIA Nebraska Design Award for Unbuilt Architecture

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