âDives in Misericordiaâ? church, designed by architect Richard Meier, opened in Rome on 26 October 2003 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Pontificate of Pope John Paul II. The building was constructed by combining traditional local materials, such as travertine, with innovative materials like sunlight-sensitive white concrete and stainless steel for reinforcement of the concrete ashlars making up the three self-supporting sails and the other walls bearing the weight of the entire building. The high durability and improved safety, even in the event of an earthquake, provided by stainless steel reinforcements will ensure that future generations continue to enjoy the futuristic building in the centuries to come. Stainless steel was chosen to prevent oxidation of the rebars with unacceptable consequences for the appearance and stability of the white concrete. The problem was solved with stainless steel rebars – CONCRINOX(TM)- from Cogne Acciai Speciali (Aosta, Italy) that not only resist corrosion but also possess unique mechanical properties, the most important of which is ductility, a quality that appears in a material when subjected to heavy loads, including abnormal loads such as those produced by seismic waves. (With the permission of Centro Inox).
