News
HBL Architects Earns
Texas Construction Best Religious Project of ‘09
Award Received for Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church
HBL Architects and Fretz Construction Company accept the McGraw-Hill Best Religious Project of ‘09 for work on Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church. From left: Adam Cryer, Pinnacle Structural Engineers; Don Greive, Pinnacle; Terry Smith, Project Manager for Fretz; Steve Faught, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston; Stephanie Kaup, HBL Archtitect; Steve Lucchesi, vice president of HBL and Bob Fretz, Jr., President of Fretz
HOUSTON – January 4, 2010 – HBL Architects proudly announces the honor of receiving the Texas Construction Best Religious Project of ‘09. McGraw-Hill Construction presented the award for HBL’s design of Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church in Houston.
Residing on a 27-acre, master-planned site, the new church serves Christ the Redeemer’s growing congregation. The defining element of the building’s structural framework is its cruciform (cross-shaped) footprint with a 40-foot diameter dome and 100-foot tall bell tower. In order to preserve sightlines and volume of space, the design features “parallel chord” or “common box” steel trusses, instead of four large columns, to support the nearly 600 tons of load on the structural system. This unique structural-truss-framing system is a common element in long-span structural engineering, such as bridge design. The result is a worship space with seating for 1,600 people and sightlines that could rival the most modern performance halls.
Since its completion, the project has been featured as the cover article in the March/April issue of Britain’s Church Building and Fretz Construction Company won a 2008-2009 Associated General Contractors Texas Building Branch Outstanding Construction Award for the project.
McGraw-Hill annually honors the building teams that create the year’s best projects nationwide. These extraordinary projects are selected by juries of local prominent industry professionals. Categories awarded cover a variety of building and highway/heavy categories - from Best Commercial Project to Best Highway Project and many more.
HBL Architects is a Houston-based architecture firm that specializes in a wide range of project types including design, master planning, historical restoration, renovation, additions and interior design. In addition, the firm designs environmentally friendly structures and employs LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited professionals. HBLA projects have received awards from the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance and AIA Houston. Founded in 1966 by William W. Hall, Jr., the principals, Hall, Barnum and Lucchesi, have more than 90 years of combined experience in producing quality projects for liturgical, educational, institutional, commercial, and residential clients.