The Church of St. Francis Xavier in Sallisaw, Oklahoma, shows how a congregation can pursue the visual language of a traditional European church without commissioning a conventional stone-and-timber building. In a case study published by Building Design + Construction on May 17, 2016, architect Shelby Navarro and the project team described a 50-by-90-foot commercial metal building system as the structural starting point. Cold-formed steel framing, steep roof geometry, masonry-like finishes, copper spires and stained glass then supplied the traditional character.
This was a single, dated project—not a product review or a measured energy study. Its importance is the design strategy: use an efficient structural shell to make the sanctuary possible, then devote detailing and finishes to the identity the congregation values.
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The brief: a traditional church character within a tight budget
The congregation wanted a building that felt unmistakably like a church rather than an ordinary utilitarian hall. Its requested vocabulary included stone walls, massive timber rafters, stained glass, a steep roof and two copper spires. Those elements point toward traditional European ecclesiastical construction, but they also carry substantial labor and material costs when executed literally.
Navarro, an architect at 1Architecture, explained the starting point this way: “We wanted to know the personality of the church.” She said the congregation was “a little more traditional,” seeking what she called “the strength of that traditional look.” In her description, that appearance “garners respect a little more.” The design problem was therefore not simply to enclose a sanctuary. It was to create a recognizable spiritual and civic presence while staying within a constrained budget.
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A conventional European approach would normally rely on extensive stone masonry, carved ornament and custom woodwork. Navarro summarized the financial obstacle directly: “Obviously, to do a traditional European church involves stone masons and gargoyles, and they were on a very tight budget.” The eventual solution separated the building into two tasks: make the primary structure economical and adaptable, then use architectural layers to deliver the desired character.
The structural move: a 50-by-90-foot metal building system
Star Buildings supplied a commercial metal building system measuring 50 feet by 90 feet. According to the 2016 case study, that system made a 50-foot clear-span sanctuary possible. The clear span kept intermediate columns out of the worship space, preserving an unobstructed view toward the altar and allowing the room to read as one continuous nave.
The roof was designed at a 12:12 pitch. That is a steep one-to-one slope: for every 12 inches of horizontal run, the roof rises 12 inches. In this project, the geometry helped create the soaring interior impression associated with traditional churches while also giving the exterior a strongly recognizable silhouette.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →| Reported project item | Value | What the case study says it did |
|---|---|---|
| Metal building system footprint | 50 feet by 90 feet | Provided the primary commercial structural shell |
| Sanctuary span | 50-foot clear span | Allowed worship space without intermediate columns |
| Roof pitch | 12:12 | Supported a steep, church-like roof profile and soaring interior character |
| Taller spire | 56 feet high | Rose above the building and was topped with a cross |
| Insulation | R-36 | Reported provision for the hot, humid local climate |
The source attributes the project’s feasibility to the value of the metal system, but it does not publish bids, a final construction price, a schedule comparison or engineering calculations. It also does not establish that metal systems are generally less expensive or faster than custom timber or masonry. The documented point is narrower: on this church, the team believed the system created enough value to make the desired building achievable.
How the team made a metal shell look traditional
Cold-formed steel for the ecclesiastical forms
The main frame did not have to carry the entire visual burden. Cold-formed steel framing was used to build out the bell tower, buttresses and two spires. These secondary forms allowed the designers to introduce vertical emphasis and the familiar rhythm of traditional church architecture without constructing the whole building from carved stone or heavy custom timber.
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Buttresses are especially effective as visual devices because they divide a long wall into articulated bays. Here, they also helped the exterior read as a purpose-designed church rather than a rectangular commercial box. The case study does not provide drawings or structural calculations for these elements, so their exact load paths and connections cannot be inferred from the published description.
Masonry-like walls and columns
EIFS stucco, brick and stone details were combined to produce the appearance of substantial masonry. The report describes brick and stone “columns” on the exterior; the quotation marks matter because the source is describing the architectural treatment, not documenting that every visible column is a load-bearing stone member.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThis layered approach is a useful distinction for anyone studying the project. Traditional character came from proportion, texture, depth and recognizable forms. The visible finish did not require the entire structural enclosure to be built as a traditional masonry wall.
A steep roof with a wood-shake reference
Composition shingles were selected to resemble wood shake. Paired with the 12:12 pitch, they gave the roof a more traditional profile than a low-slope metal-building roof would normally suggest. The source does not identify the shingle manufacturer, product line, service life or installed cost, so those details should not be projected onto other projects.
Copper spires and the bell tower
Both spires were clad in copper. The taller spire reached 56 feet and was topped with a cross, establishing a vertical landmark visible above the lower roof forms. Copper supplied a material cue strongly associated with civic and religious architecture, while the steel framing beneath it provided the shaped support described in the case study.
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The article does not state the height of the second spire, the copper thickness, the finish condition at completion or the maintenance plan. Those are design and procurement questions a new project would need to resolve independently.
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Stained glass and the sanctuary focus
One stained-glass rose window was installed above the altar. The article reports that space remained for a second rose window at the opposite end of the nave if the budget later allowed it. This is an example of phased visual investment: the principal liturgical focal point received the first window, while the architecture preserved an option for future completion.
Because the sanctuary was clear-span, the window and altar could be read without columns interrupting the sightline. Navarro described the finished concept as “a modern interpretation of that small, comfortable European church,” and the source characterizes the interior as having a “soaring, uplifting feeling.” Those are design descriptions from the project team, not measured assessments of occupant experience.
Comfort provisions and what is—and is not—known about energy performance
The case study reports R-36 insulation and identifies local summer conditions of 105°F and 70% humidity. It says the insulation helped maintain comfort with minimal energy waste. That statement should be read as the project report’s characterization, not as independently verified savings.
No utility bills, energy model, equipment schedule, measured consumption, baseline building or third-party evaluation are provided. Consequently, the published material cannot establish an energy-use intensity, a percentage reduction, a payback period or performance relative to a conventional church. R-36 is an insulation rating, not a complete building-energy result: windows, air sealing, doors, HVAC equipment, controls, lighting, occupancy and operating schedules would all affect actual consumption.
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For a current project in a comparable climate, the practical lesson is to treat insulation as one part of a coordinated envelope and mechanical design. The team would need to document the climate zone, code edition, assembly R-values, thermal bridges, air leakage, glazing performance and commissioning process before making a performance claim.
Who delivered the project
C&C Builders is identified as the general contractor. B&B Welding is identified as the Star builder that supplied and erected the metal system, with Bill Buckner named as B&B Welding’s president.
Buckner described a design-build workflow centered on the architect’s criteria and the supplier’s software: “We meet the architect’s criteria and then we get on our computers and we can design what he wants, with all the codes and loads and deflections, all with the software that Star provides us.” His statement indicates that the metal-building package was not treated as an off-the-shelf rectangle; the supplier’s engineering process was used to develop the required geometry and structural checks.
He also praised the supplier’s SBS Builder Software, saying, “I won’t put up anybody else’s, because Star’s SBS Builder Software is so awesome. You don’t have to call a rep to get prices. You just get on that computer, and it will do the work for you.” This is Buckner’s source-reported opinion, not an independent software evaluation, and the 2016 article does not establish current availability or capabilities.
Metal system versus a custom timber approach: what the record actually supports
The project team contrasted the selected system with a hypothetical glue-laminated timber and custom-wood scheme. Navarro stated: “The value from the metal building system is what allowed the church to happen. If they had tried to deal with glue-lams and custom wood, they wouldn’t have made it there.” That explains the decision on this project, but it is not a universal price ranking.
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| Decision question | What is documented for St. Francis Xavier | What remains unstated |
|---|---|---|
| Primary structure | Commercial metal building system | Competing bids, installed cost and lifecycle cost |
| Sanctuary planning | 50-foot clear span | Alternative spans or comparative engineering effort |
| Roof expression | 12:12 pitch with composition shingles resembling wood shake | Roof cost, replacement interval and maintenance record |
| Vertical features | Cold-formed steel framing for bell tower, buttresses and spires; copper cladding on both spires | Fabrication details, copper gauge and long-term condition |
| Energy outcome | R-36 insulation; comfort and minimal waste reported by the case study | Measured consumption, baseline and independent verification |
The fairest conclusion is therefore project-specific: the metal system supplied a structural and economic basis on which the traditional finishes could be built. The record does not justify saying that every church, every climate or every budget will produce the same result.
A practical design sequence for a similar church project
The Sallisaw example suggests a sequence that separates mission, structure and appearance. It is a planning framework, not a specification for reproducing the original building.
- Define the non-negotiable identity. Agree on the forms that carry the congregation’s sense of place: roof pitch, tower, spires, masonry expression, stained glass, interior volume and altar visibility.
- Set the functional geometry. Establish seating, circulation, accessibility, acoustics, clergy and choir requirements before selecting a structural system. A clear span may be valuable, but its required width and height should come from the worship plan.
- Test the structural shell against the budget. Ask suppliers and engineers to price and design the shell for the actual span, roof pitch, wind, snow, seismic and deflection criteria. The 2016 case study does not supply those calculations, so they must be developed for the new site.
- Layer the traditional details. Develop tower, buttress, spire, roof and masonry treatments as coordinated assemblies. Confirm how each finish attaches, drains, ventilates and is maintained rather than treating it as a purely cosmetic applique.
- Plan visual phases. If a second rose window or another finish cannot be funded initially, reserve the structural opening, flashing, support and interior trim while the work is accessible.
- Document performance targets. Specify insulation, air control, glazing, HVAC efficiency, lighting and controls together, then define how energy and comfort will be verified after occupancy.
What this 2016 case study can teach—and what it cannot
It demonstrates a disciplined way to reconcile symbolic architecture with practical constraints. A commercial metal frame supplied the span and roof geometry; cold-formed steel created the tower and spires; EIFS, brick, stone, shingles, copper and stained glass supplied the visual language. The approach let the team pursue a traditional image without claiming that the entire building had been constructed by traditional methods.
It does not provide current product specifications, present-day pricing, construction drawings, code analysis, measured energy results or evidence about the church’s condition and use today. Nor does it compare multiple completed churches. Readers should use it as a dated example of design reasoning, then commission current engineering, cost estimating and performance verification for any new project.
Conclusion
St. Francis Xavier’s church was made “traditional” through a combination of proportion, silhouette, crafted exterior layers and selective high-impact details rather than through an all-masonry structure. The 50-by-90-foot metal building system, 50-foot clear span and 12:12 roof gave the congregation the spatial and visual framework it wanted; towers, buttresses, copper spires, shingles, masonry finishes and stained glass completed the expression. The enduring lesson is not that one structural system is always best, but that an early, explicit division between structural efficiency and architectural character can make an ambitious church possible on a constrained budget.
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