Padre Pio church, Foggia, Italy

When work began in 1997, on the Liturgical Hall dedicated to Padre Pio in the San Giovanni Rotondo, a construction site has already been set up. Some areas, for religious services, were already under construction. The concept of constructing with a traditional material such as stone, and using it in modern and innovative way inspired the engineering design team's interest in this project. At the start, it was difficult to agree on construction solutions that guaranteed safety and office use, as provided in the remit from the architect. Among these constraints, is that the San Giovanni Rotondo is at an altitude of approximately 600 m and is located in a number 9 seismic zone (II category).