This project is an excellent example of Rugo’s ability to work in a design-assist fashion. Not only did our team develop an intricate wall section design, but we also furnished and installed high Gothic architectural limestone elements combined with using the University’s own rubble stone quarry material, Duke Stone.
The limestone forms very complex arches, rose windows, finials, profiled copings, and buttresses all designed to match the architectural style of the 1925 Cathedral, which sits adjacent to the new Divinity school. The rubble stone is a Mica Schist material quarried on campus and used throughout to define the facades of most of the University’s buildings.
Duke stone is very challenging to work with as it yields 17 different shades of color, all of which must be blended and hand-chiseled to create the linear ashlar pattern. The pointing on this project is 1″ wide and is an impressive feature of Duke Stone. This unique pointing style creates a more significant rectangular ashlar appearance when viewed from a distance.
The exterior wall section is 10″-12′ thick and all load-bearing except for various cantilevered limestone bay windows, which required custom large stainless steel trusses to receive the heavy imposed eccentric loads.
The project has received much attention, including winning the 2006 Marble Institute of America Award of Merit for Commercial Exterior for its high level of craftsmanship: The project utilized over 32,000 sqft of various stone.
Location: Raleigh, NC
Completion: 2005
Owner: Duke University
Architect: Hartman Cox Architects LLP
General Contractor: Skanska USA
Size: 20,000 sqft
Services: Design, engineer, fabricate and install Gothic limestone and Duke rubblestone
