St. George Church ? Troy, Michigan
By Larry Peters, Copper Development Association Project Manager & Architectural Applications Specialist

While passing through Troy, Michigan, on my way to a group architectural seminar, I noticed a copper domed church from the road partially hidden behind a row of trees. Still being early spring in Michigan, these did not have leaves on them yet, so the building was more visible than would normally be the case. It was obviously an orthodox church of some type. Looking at the sign this was confirmed.
St. George Church has a beautifully patinated, large standing seam main dome and a standing seam pendentive below it.  The structure also features five smaller standing seam domes over the front facade, two topping the towers that frame the three over the entrance way. As mentioned, these have all patinated to a natural green shade associated with fairly mature copper exposed to the environment. Also, on the pendentive, one can see the difference that a vertical surface makes versus a sloped surface in terms of the rate of patina formation.
This project is just another reminder that, no matter where you are in North America, interesting copper projects may be more common than you think.

...