Quonset Hut at Arizona Winery Combines Functionality and Style

SteelMaster’s highly-skilled project managers have worked with architects all around the world to design award-winning masterpieces.

One of those architects is Thamarit Suchart of Chen + Suchart Studio, who designed the Quonset hut used as a production facility and tasting room at Los Milics Winery in Elgin, Arizona.

Suchart says the Quonset hut’s column-free interior was a major advantage when designing the facility.

“The biggest thing we found about it was it provided us with the ability to span, in this case, 55 feet, unincumbered so we could have a free plan and do whatever we need to for the interiors,” he said. “The idea of a production facility, because we also have a tasting room, is to have the most economical way to get a large amount of space.”

Suchart had never designed a Quonset hut before and chose the S-Model over the classic Q-Model because the arches start off with straight panels.

“The main challenge was the form dictates what you can and can’t do towards the edges. But this particular shape, the S-Model, it’s not a full Quonset hut where it’s a semi-circle. It starts off vertical and then it becomes the arch,” Suchart said. “That particular arch was the shape we were after, so we could utilize the edge of the building much more freely than the traditional [Q-Model] Quonset hut.”

Another factor in choosing a Quonset hut for the winery was its aesthetics, according to Suchart.

“Why we landed on the SteelMaster product is really about its aesthetics, in the sense that we can get a softer shape that we felt is appropriate for that landscape,” Suchart explained. “You take the idea of 155’ long building that’s 55’ wide–that’s a big building. To put that in the landscape where nothing else ever existed before, we felt that it had to be something that was softer on the land and compassionate to the landscape.”

Suchart said Senior Project Manager Greg Broderick was “extremely critical” in the success of the project, along with the people who put the building together.

“Greg was fantastic to work with. Extremely helpful and knowledgeable in pointing us in the right direction and getting us details and cluing us in, especially for people who had never done this before.”

Suchart also noted that the practicality and cost-effectiveness are two of the things that make a Quonset hut most appealing.

“The idea in finding beauty in [the Quonset hut’s] utility and the idea that it’s a 55-foot arch that can span that distance and give us the flexibility that we needed for the building—all of those things have its inherent beauty in all sense of that word to be able to achieve what we did for the budget. All of those things are very important and work well together.”

Whether it’s a stand-alone building or adding an element to your design, you can rely on SteelMaster’s decades of experience in custom steel buildings. No matter what design you have in mind, our project managers are standing by to assist you to ensure your vision comes to life.