Project Spotlight
St. Luke’s Catholic Church
Some of the most rewarding projects start with a straightforward problem: something on a building needs to be hidden. The challenge is making the solution look like it was always part of the design.
That was the charge at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Mesa, Arizona. The church needed rooftop equipment screened from view and additional privacy along the roofline. But this wasn’t a back-of-house utility job. It was a community landmark, and the finished result needed to look intentional, not remedial.
Working alongside Redden Construction as the general contractor, KorFab designed and fabricated a complete rooftop panel system that addressed both goals without compromising either.
The Scope
KorFab fabricated and delivered 42 custom decorative panels anchored along the tops of the existing walls and roof structure. The panels create a clean, continuous screen that conceals rooftop equipment from street view while adding a finished architectural layer to the building’s exterior — function and form resolved in a single solution.
Fabrication Process
Every panel was precision-cut on our 6KW Bodor fiber laser, which delivers the edge quality and dimensional accuracy that a visible architectural application demands. Panels were then formed on our Adira Press Brake with a 90-degree bend along the top edge — a detail built into the design from the start. The bend creates a channel that allows the church to incorporate backlighting in the future, without any additional fabrication work.
Post base plates were laser-cut in-house, and the support posts were processed on our Dragon A400 Tube Processing Plasma Cutter for consistent, precise results across every connection point.
Because St. Luke’s team preferred to apply the finish coat on-site, KorFab primed all 42 panels in-house before delivery, ensuring a properly prepared surface and a consistent base ready to receive their finish. The scope also included a custom-fabricated access gate for the rooftop, giving maintenance personnel a safe, straightforward entry point to service equipment behind the panel screen.
The Collaboration
What made this project work well was the communication. From early coordination through final delivery, our KorFab team stayed in close contact with the project manager at Redden Construction and worked directly with St. Luke’s staff at key points along the way. Anticipating questions, coordinating details early, and staying responsive throughout kept the project on track and the finished result aligned with what the church envisioned.
That kind of engagement is how we approach every project. We do more than fabricate metal. We work to become a trusted extension of the project team, so that decisions get made efficiently, challenges get resolved before they become problems, and the finished work reflects the original intent.
The Result
The completed rooftop system functions exactly as required: screened, accessible, and designed with the future in mind. And it presents a finished, considered exterior that the congregation and the surrounding community can take pride in.
For architects and designers, this project is an example of how fabrication expertise and early design collaboration protect the integrity of what gets built. For general contractors and project managers, it reflects the kind of responsive, well-coordinated partnership that keeps a job moving without surprises. For owners and property stewards, it demonstrates what durable, low-maintenance architectural metalwork looks like when it’s done right.
Start a Conversation
Working on a project that could benefit from custom decorative panels, architectural screens, or rooftop components? We’d welcome the conversation early in the process.
Contact Jason Kessler at JasonK@korfab.us or call 602-309-2009. You can also explore our full portfolio at korfab.us.