PRINCE CONCEPTS

    INDEX
  • Neighborhood Development
  • New Construction
  • Adaptive Reuse
  • Other
  • Detroit
  • Texas
  • New York
  • The White Building
  • WIP
    • Adaptive Reuse
    • Detroit
  • The Chop Shop
  • WIP
    • Adaptive Reuse
    • Detroit
  • Continental
  • WIP
    • Neighborhood Development
    • New Construction
    • Adaptive Reuse
    • Other
    • Detroit
    • Texas
    • New York
  • The Pantry
  • 2023
    • Neighborhood Development
    • New Construction
    • Adaptive Reuse
    • Other
    • Detroit
    • Texas
    • New York
  • PS1200
  • 2023
    • Texas
    • New Construction
  • PK Residence
  • 2023
    • Neighborhood Development
    • New Construction
    • Adaptive Reuse
    • Other
    • Detroit
    • Texas
    • New York
  • Annex
  • 2023
    • Neighborhood Development
    • New Construction
    • Adaptive Reuse
    • Other
    • Detroit
    • Texas
    • New York
  • The Power Plant
  • 2022
    • Neighborhood Development
    • Adaptive Reuse
    • Detroit
  • Park(ing) Park
  • 2022
    • Neighborhood Development
    • Adaptive Reuse
    • Detroit
  • Caterpillar
  • 2021
    • Detroit
    • New Construction
  • Mack Twins
  • 2020
    • Detroit
    • Adaptive Reuse
    • Neighborhood Development
  • 5K
  • 2020
    • Detroit
    • Adaptive Reuse
  • The Sawtooth
  • 2019
    • Detroit
    • Adaptive Reuse
  • The King Prop
  • 2019
    • Detroit
    • Adaptive Reuse
  • Magnet
  • 2019
    • Detroit
    • Adaptive Reuse
  • Core City Park
  • 2019
    • Detroit
    • Neighborhood Development
  • The Study
  • 2018
    • Detroit
    • New Construction
  • The Pie
  • 2018
    • Detroit
    • Adaptive Reuse
  • True North
  • 2017
    • Detroit
    • New Construction
  • Takoi
  • 2017
    • Detroit
    • Adaptive Reuse
  • Katoi
  • 2016
    • Detroit
    • Adaptive Reuse
  • SoHo Loft
  • 2012
    • New York
    • Other
  • Prince Media Co
  • 2010
    • New York
    • Other
  • Prince Concepts
  • 0
    • Detroit
    • New York
    • Neighborhood Development
    • Other
    • Detroit
    • New Construction

      SUMMARY

      Life size “model” to test the Quonset Hut. Construction office for True North and residence. Completed August 2016.

      STORY

      CASE STUDY: The Study was exactly that.

      Prince Concepts had been interested in utilizing the traditional Quonset Hut in a live/work capacity for some tie as these structures are typically used in military and agricultural applications. Even though land in Detroit can be inexpensive, material and labor costs are what they are. The challenge - how does one create a market where there isn't one? The answer - use creativity to usurp traditional construction while achieving an elegant, inspired, alluring, and affordable product. Enter the Quonset Hut.

      Built on two merged residential lots totaling 5,227 SF of land, The Study is two live/work residences erected, BY RIGHT; in other words, the project required no zoning variances. Expediency and experimentation were paramount, as the project was used to test the Quonset Hut as an affordable and inspired building method for future projects.

      IDEA

      Prince Concepts employed Steelmaster as their Quonset Hut Vendor. They purchased one Q and one S model. The S20-13 model has straight walls leading into the ground while the Q30-14 model has a 100% arch with no straight walls. Each hut comes in many pieces which are eventually assembled into 2' wide arches that span from one footing to the other at the finished height of the building. Each unit requires 1000's of screws! With a quonset hut, you get two walls and a roof for the fraction of the time and cost of those elements, typically. You also get an elegant and novel structure.

      Other than the Quonset Hut shell, everything else employed in The Study was devised, designed, and assembled by the Prince Concepts team, on site. To create the "end-walls" of the huts, Prince Concepts used energy efficient and insulated 32MM Thermogal from PolyGal. These panels were then placed within the raw steel angles and tubes that Prince concepts welded into a frame. The result is tough, effective, and not too precious. The polycarbonate panels are translucent, but not transparent. The natural light in the space is abundant, the insulation is immense, and the aesthetic is inspired. To a passerby, the huts glow at night, and rouse intrigue and curiosity during the day. They are warm, tough, and beautiful.

      The largest challenge faced by Prince Concepts in converting a Quonset Hut into a comfortable live/work space was addressing the insulation and acoustic needs. The metal spaces needed to be softened. Period. Steel lacks insulating properties and the "hill and valley" shape of the walls meant traditional applications were not effective. After deliberating several options, the team opted to use 6" of spray foam to fill in the metal framework. This equates to an R-38 insulation value.

      After jumping the insulation hurdle - a functional problem - a formal problem had now arisen - how to cover this insulation in a cost effective and beautiful manner... Prince Concepts decided to utilize two different methods, one on each hut. After all, this was The Study. The Q Hut uses standard 2" x 4" wood studs to create a frame. From there thin pieces of 1" x 2" wooden shims were affixed to the 2" x 4" studs, so the cladding could be flush. The Q hut employed plywood sheets for their warmth, low cost, and ability to bend to the shape of the hut without splintering or compromising the elegant arch form. Success. However, this wasn't enough, on Hut #2 the level was UPPED. The S Hut used the same 2" x 4" wood stud skeleton, but received an additional interior treatment - concrete stucco was slathered across the walls and ceiling creating a modern, monk appropriate sanctuary.

      RESULTS

      The Study proved to be a success, both huts were constructed at their budget, were immediately leased, and are currently occupied in live/work capacities. Visitors from all walks of life, colors, creeds, and socioeconomic classes respond exactly the same way to the live/work bunkers "Damn, I want one of these. This is crazy. I love it!" The Quonset Hut is democratic. The Study's success provoked the design and groundbreaking of True North, which is nine Quonset Hut live/work residence directly across the street. The game will be seriously UPPED over there.

      OVERVIEW

      Prince Concepts performed a study to prepare for a larger project. Prince Concepts has been intrigued by the traditional Quonset Hut - used by the American Military - for some time; the volume, space, lines, and simplicity endow the user of the space with peace and focus. Quonset Huts also provide a landscape with serenity, order, and mystery. The walls become the roof, then become the walls again. Simple. Prince Concepts built two Quonset Live/Work residences as studies to better understand how to make this traditionally utilitarian structure more dynamic and habitable. The study has passed the test. Prince Concepts moved onto a larger project, True North, using the Quonset Hut as a starting point.

        Location:

        Core City, Detroit

        Type:

        New Development, Residential, Experimental

        Status:

        Developed

        Scope:

        5,000 SF Site 1,500 SF Built 2 Units

        Design Architect:

        Prince Concepts

        Executive Architect:

        Studio Detroit

        Press:

        Curbed

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