In partner with Erik Maso.
Of the challenges this competition posed, the economic one was most pressing; any normative house would breach the allotted construction budget without effort, especially amid the volatile lumber marketplace. For this reason, our proposal argued for the adaptation of lightweight prefabricated structural steel arches, which when assembled in a series, create the main structural enclosure of our house. These metal buildings are often referred to as Quonset Huts and come in many different styles and varying regional names. The structures have a long history of providing replicable and scalable housing during post-war needs yet offer the adaptability and flexibility to function as agricultural storage facilities or aircraft hangers. Our proposal integrated this practicality with smart planning and material strategies that make the simple ‘hut’ appropriate and attractive to the Hilltop and Whitehall neighborhoods.
