Structural Design: St. Matthew’s Church

SERVICES: Structural Engineer of Record • Structural Steel Design • Wood Design

SQUARE FEET: 25,000

When parishioners enter the sanctuary at St. Matthew’s, the awe-inspiring, wood-framed interior welcomes them. What they won’t see are the steel beams, wrapped in wood, that are essential to the building’s stability. This challenging project is a perfect example of creative structural solutions enabling architectural beauty.

The architect wanted to use wood as much as possible for its warm aesthetic and cost-effectiveness. However, using wood trusses presented complications due to the sanctuary’s steep pitches and large span. To overcome this, MP-Squared strategically added steel beams to the design, sharing visuals with the architect as we went. Ultimately, we were able to create the intended wood structure, with the supporting steel framing masterfully hidden within the building’s beauty.

Beyond the 350-occupancy sanctuary, MP-Squared designed the mezzanine, pitched narthex, community spaces and entrance canopy. The building’s north wing is a two-story wood-framed space on a precast concrete foundation, housing classrooms, stairs and an elevator.