Fort Worth, Texas, USA

“I am excited to bring the Prince Concepts’ development philosophy and placemaking to my home state of Texas,” said Philip Kafka, President of Prince Concepts.

“PS1200 marks our third development project that employs the Quonset hut as a tool to offer elevated quality space, and it synthesizes the most successful elements of all our previous Detroit-based projects.”

“PS1200 thoughtfully combines public green space, inspired dwellings, commerce, and office space — providing a place where the Fort Worth community can live, work, gather, and intersect to experience urbanism, architecture, and landscape.”

For years, builders have repurposed old steel shipping containers for everything from homes to offices and storefronts for years.

Now a Fort Worth residential and commercial development will use pre-engineered metal Quonset huts to build a project just south of downtown.

This new mixed-use development will use prefab metal buildings on a block south of downtown Fort Worth.

Spearheading the new PS1200 Project in Fort Worth are Detroit-based real estate development company Prince Concepts, architecture firm Marlon Blackwell Architects, and landscape architect Julie Bargmann of D.I.R.T studio, as well as Studio Outside.

The project on Fort Worth’s near southside has broken ground and will include 5,500 square feet of office space and three retail locations, as well as an 8,000-square-foot public park.

Called PS1200, the project builds on the success of two live-work/communities located in Core City, Detroit, that also utilize Quonset hut structures to invest savings into high-quality public and private spaces, aiming to provide a similar kind of cultural, culinary and community ignition.

“PS1200 embodies the benefits of contemporary city life — working, living, and relaxing in one beautiful, convenient, and central location,” Marlon Blackwell, founder and principal of Marlon Blackwell Architects, said in a statement.

“Consistent with several of Prince Concepts’ past projects, we designed PS1200 using Quonset huts, a utilitarian structure. In doing so, we aspired to elevate something prosaic and humble into something noble, while invoking the rhythm and iconic shapes of the Kimbell Art Museum.”

First manufactured in the U.S. in 1941, Quonset huts are corrugated steel buildings made out of curved sections.

The structures were widely deployed by the U.S. military during World War II and used for everything from crew barracks to aircraft hangers.

After the war, the iconic structures were utilized for commercial and retail buildings, warehouses, barns, garages and many other uses.

A vegan restaurant planned by the creators of popular Spiral Diner and an ice cream and donut shop are also planned for the new development.

Completion is scheduled for late 2021.

Project: PS1200 Project
Architects: Marlon Blackwell Architects
Landscape Architects: D.I.R.T studio
Associate Landscape Architects: Studio Outside
Developer: Prince Concepts
Photographers: Prince Concepts