The campus shared by Ursuline Sisters and Ursuline College in Pepper Pike is now the home of the new motherhouse, Merici Crossings, for the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland. The residence features a combination of one, two and three bedroom suites, a large dining room, great room and chapel. The most striking feature is the rounded glass facade of the chapel with a sweeping roofline, inspired by the undulating topography in the area.

Incorporating natural beauty into the design of this site was important to the Sisters. The pastoral wooded setting drove the selection of the exterior materials. Earth-toned metal panels, brick and engineered retaining wall stones offer a warm look that blends the building with the site. Rivercrest® Wall was chosen by Hiti, DiFrancesco and Siebold, Inc to create the retaining wall that curves around the exterior of the chapel and carves out the space needed for the roadway. Cast from hundreds of real stone surfaces using Reala™ Technology, this wall offered the necessary character, durability, affordability and flexibility that the Sisters and the designers were seeking.

The richness and warmth of the exterior elements hold its own against the bold, clean geometry of the building’s design. The result is a heavenly home created for the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland.