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CASE STUDY

The Music Center at Strathmore

The Music Center at Strathmore underwent a significant renovation in 2005 to modernize the facility to better serve its audiences and performers. The scope of work included a massive 30,000 sqft of beige limestone cladding all around the building and 5,000 sqft of granite coping and interior vanities. The building is known for its distinctive curved roofline, one of the center’s most notable architectural features. The limestone was specially sourced from Germany and quarried in four distinct shades of beige and gray. The limestone was selected for its durability, timeless appearance, and ability to blend with the surrounding landscape. Due to the variegated nature of the stone, the stone panels were dry-laid at the quarry, color-blended in a mosaic fashion, and installed in a predetermined order. Our team marked each piece with a unique piece number to install them in this order.

The semicircular orchestra lobby in the building features a semicircular shape made of custom arcs. The limestone facade on the curved walls were clad with flat panels, and the granite coping on top of the curved wall was all precision-cut to follow the wall shape and CNC milled to follow the radial patterns with a wash on the coping per design.

Location: North Bethesda, MD
Completion Date: 2005
Owner: Strathmore Hall Foundation
Architect: William Rawn Associates Architects, Inc. & Grimm & Parker
General Contractor: Clark Construction
Size: 35,000 Sqft
Services Performed: Design Consultation, Stone Sourcing, Supply and Installation

From Our Clients:

“What a great experience! Every interaction from the first visit to the final inspection was professional and service oriented. They took the time to help us find the perfect stone and then had an installation team that was extremely detail-oriented and friendly. I know they do larger projects than ours but they made us feel very appreciated. Thank you to Brett Rugo, Sam Arcot and the rest of the team!  We would most certainly use and recommend you again!!”

“Your mason was an artist and a master craftsman! Wow — he really did an amazing job on our challenging project!”

“When I was a little boy, my parents and grandparents taught me five principles: Honor, Dignity, Respect, Integrity, and Passion. Very very few have all five. My dear friend Brett not only has those qualities and values––he defines them.”

“One of the things that impressed me so much about Brett, his meticulousness, his desire, his passion to do it right the first time.”

“I know how meticulous [Brett] is in his craftsmanship. That’s really a dying art, not just in the stone business, or my business, but throughout the construction industry.”

“I think Brett is the most knowledgeable guy that I know in the stone business and is extremely passionate about the stone industry. He’s taught me a great deal––by taking me to stone quarries, explaining everything from installation to fabrication. He’s just been a walking book of knowledge on stone.”

“With Rugo Stone and with Brett Rugo, you’ll have someone who is reliable, thorough, dedicated, efficient, and will work to perfection. He will not stop until everything is done the way it’s supposed to be done. Brett is one of those individuals who, whenever you ask for something, he comes through on it, and he is willing and able to please.”

“Brett is a driven individual, and so therefore, he has wanted to make sure that everything he does is done just right.”

“Brett has thankfully achieved a great name for himself and for his company, and he is known for his quality, craftsmanship work, that no matter where he goes, no matter what he does, it’s going to be done to perfection.”

“We can judge the tree by the fruit it bears, and this holds true for Rugo Stone. The work speaks for itself, and it is pretty exceptional. The entire organization has a real commitment to quality, from the shop drawings, to engineering, material sourcing, fabrication, and then installation, and that commitment is reflected in the end result.”

Driven by Passion. Dedicated to Excellence.

We lend a sophisticated aesthetic and world-class expertise to large scale and special projects. Clients include religious, civic, cultural and educational institutions, public agencies, private developers, major corporations, and individuals.