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Published by Library of Congress Cataloging-in- Princeton Architectural Press Publication Data 37 East Seventh Street New York, New York 10003 Quonset hut : metal living for a modern age / Julie Decker and Chris Chiei, For a free catalog of books, call editors. 1.800.722.6657. p. cm. Visit our web site at www.papress.com. “The Anchorage Museum of History and Art in association with the Anchorage © 2005 Princeton Architectural Press Museum Association and the Alaska Design All rights reserved Forum”—CIP t.p. Printed and bound in China Includes bibliographical references and 09 08 07 06 05 5 4 3 2 1 First edition index. ISBN 1-56898-519-3 (hardcover : alk. No part of this book may be used or repro- paper) duced in any manner without written per- 1. Quonset huts. 2. Buildings, mission from the publisher, except in the Prefabricated. 3. Architectural context of reviews. metal-work. 4. Temporary housing. 5. Dwellings—Alaska—History—20th Every reasonable attempt has been made century. I. Decker, Julie. II. Chiei, Chris. to identify owners of copyright. Errors or III. Anchorage Museum of History and Art. omissions will be corrected in subsequent IV. Anchorage Museum Association. V. editions. Alaska Design Forum. NA8480.Q66 2005 Publication of this book is supported by the 720'.48—dc22 Anchorage Museum of History and Art, the Anchorage Museum Association, the Alaska 2004024738 Design Forum, and their grantors, sponsors, and volunteers. Editing: Linda Lee Design: Deb Wood Special thanks to: Nettie Aljian, Dorothy Ball, Nicola Bednarek, Janet Behning, Megan Carey, Penny (Yuen Pik) Chu, Russell Fernandez, Jan Haux, Clare Jacobson, John King, Mark Lamster, Nancy Eklund Later, Katharine Myers, Lauren Nelson, Jane Sheinman, Scott Tennent, Jennifer Thompson, Paul Wagner, Joseph Weston, and Deb Wood of Princeton Architectural Press —Kevin C. Lippert, publisher Quonset Hut Metal Living for a Modern Age Julie Decker and Chris Chiei, editors The Anchorage Museum of History and Art in association with the Anchorage Museum Association and the Alaska Design Forum, Alaska Princeton Architectural Press, New York Preface Julie Decker x Acknowledgments xii Introduction The Hut That Shaped a Nation Julie Decker and Chris Chiei xv Chapter 1 How the Hut Came to Be Chris Chiei 1 Chapter 2 Quonsets, Alaska, and World War II Steven Haycox 31 Chapter 3 War, Design, and Weapons of Mass Construction Brian Carter 47 Chapter 4 After the War: Quonset Huts and Their Integration into Daily American Life Tom Vanderbilt 63 Chapter 5 The Huts That Wouldn’t Go Away: Alaska Adopts the Hut Chris Chiei 105 Chapter 6 Quonsets Today: Concluding Thoughts Julie Decker and Chris Chiei 133 Appendix: Hut Types 148 Notes 150 Image Credits 156 Index 161 Contributors 165 Preface Julie Decker Quonset Hut: Metal Living for a Modern Age is a project that began half a decade ago when architect Chris Chiei took note of the presence of Quonset huts throughout Alaska—more than half a century after the huts were sent around the world as temporary shelters for World-War-II soldiers, forming a major part of the infra- structure of war. Until now, the impact of Quonset huts in post–World War II life has not been documented in a comprehensive way. Quonset huts are referenced in a variety of publications, and everyone seems to be able to conjure up an image of a semicircle when they hear the word “Quonset,” but its story has not yet been told. While the subject of Quonset huts can be serious––wartime and postwar housing shortages are not lighthearted topics––it is also one that can claim a certain levity. Quonset huts have entered into many love-hate relationships with their dwellers who both embraced and resisted the simple geometry of the form. Quonset huts have staked their claim on the built environment throughout the world––and the unbuilt world in the case of such remote places as Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the South Pacific. Just as Alaskans claim duct tape and bunny boots as their own, they also claim the Quonset hut, since Alaskans, throughout their relatively short his- tory, have recognized the temporary and durable nature of the hut, tolerated its industrial nature, and chuckled at their unexpected permanence––a proud, though aging, part of the everyday land- scape. Mention Quonset huts to almost any Alaskan you run into and they will have a personal story about living in, working in, or just seeing one. Although not entirely an endangered species of x Julie Decker Alaska’s, or other far-flung places’, built environment, the number of existing Quonset huts has dwindled to the point that most chil- dren and newcomers to these strategic World War II places are completely unaware of the dense Quonset camps that once stood at the center of their own communities. Contributing writers to this publication look at the Quonset hut in a variety of ways, from its inception in World War II, its pivotal position during the war, its brief attempt to solve the postwar housing shortage, and its role as an inspiration for leading postwar architects. Quonset is a project of the Alaska Design Forum, a nonprofit organization of architects, artists, and designers formed to broaden the range of discussion about the design of the built environment. Quonset will also be a traveling exhibition organized by the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, which will open in Anchorage in October 2005. The goal of the project is to recognize the Quonset hut as an important invention to come out of World War II and to identify the inventiveness it inspired in those who occupied them or lived near them during and after the war. The Quonset hut has long been tolerated, at times ignored. This project aims to give the Quonset hut a pat on its rounded back for being the best building it could be. If nothing else, it was persistent. Quonset was born out of the work of numerous volunteers. Without their generous donation of time and energy, this project could not have been realized. They, too, should be recognized for their persistence. xi Preface Acknowledgments This project would not have been possible Photographers without a number of individuals, businesses Clark James Mishler, David Gellotte, Patrick and organizations. Thank you to the following: J. Endres, Kevin G. Smith, Bruce Binder Publication Research Sponsors The Staff at the following Archives National Endowment for the Arts Anchorage Museum of History and Art National Endowment for the Humanities (Dianne Brenner, Mina Jacobs, Walter Van Alaska Humanities Forum Horn), National Archives—Pacific Alaska Alaska Association for Historic Preservation Region, University of Alaska Anchorage American Institute of Architects, Alaska Consortium Library, Z. J. Loussac Public Chapter Library (Bruce Merrell), University of Alaska Koonce Pfeffer Bettis Architects Fairbanks Elmer E. Rasmuson Library (Rose The Graham Foundation Speranza), Alaska Film Archives at Elmer E. Anchorage Historic Properties Rasmuson Library (Dirk Tordoff), Alaska State Anchorage Museum of History and Art Archives (Larry Hibpshman), Alaska State Alaska Design Forum Museum, Alaska State Library, Tongass Historical Museum, Kodiak Historical Society Research and Project Development (Marian Johnson), National Archives II, Volunteers (Sandy Smith), National Archives I, The Ron Bateman, Catherine Williams, Julie Library of Congress, The Ben Moreell Library Decker, Chris Chiei, John Pearce, Clark (Deborah Gunia), Navy Art Collection (Gale Yerrington, Leone Chiei, Lewis Santoro, Munro), U.S. Army Center of Military History Charles Mobley, Seth Brandenberger, Robert (Renee Klish), Yukon Archives, National Brandenberger, Bruce Merrell, Sharon Archives of Canada, Canadian War Museum Ferguson, John Biggs, Erica White, Amy (Maggie Arbour-Doucette), National Gallery Tomson, Leslie Marsh, Isobel Roy, Laura of Canada, The Art Institute of Chicago (Kate Winckler, Patty Peirsol, Buck Walsky, Chris Butterly, Lori Boyer, Mary Woolever), Rhode Cole, Jesse Flores, Ric Martinez, Duke Island Historical Society (Rick Sattler, Dana Russell, David Mollett, Karen Larsen, Matt Signe K. Munroe), Phillips Memorial Library, Johnson, Amber Ridington, Howard Brown, The History Factory (Alexandra Brisen), Petra Sattler-Smith, John Weir, David Quonset Point Seabee Museum (Jack Hayden, Evelyn Rousso, David Porter, Susan Sprengel), Masonite Corporation (Pasty Elliott, Mary Richards, Don Decker, Michelle Myric), Butler Manufacturing Co. (Andrea Decker, Michael Morris, Joe Senungetuk, Hanson) Don Mohr, Sheila Wyne, Wendy Ernst Croskrey, Mike Croskrey, KN Goodrich, Don Special Thanks to: Henry, Ted Herlinger, Carol Crump Bryner, Barnes Architecture, Alaska Private Lodging, Chris Arend, Marie Ringwald, Elaine Charles Bettisworth & Co., McCool, Carlson Williamson, Kristofer Gills Green, Architects, The Center for Visual Art of Alaska, Mayer Sattler-Smith, Northern Project Consultants Land Use Research Trevor Boddy, Donald Albrecht, Mike Dunning, Steve Haycox xii Introduction The Hut That Shaped a Nation xv Julie Decker and Chris Chiei Portable architecture was the first fully man- family, one of them measuring more than a made and inhabited form of architecture. hundred feet in length and containing ten Over millions of years, it has evolved and has small hearths in a row. also often been rejected in favor of perma- The basic hut then remained virtually nent buildings. Today architecture and unchanged for a million years. In the 1600s permanence are treated as synonyms. The huts were still used all around the world. The Great Pyramids of Giza are listed as one of sheepherders of the Sahara Desert built new the Seven Wonders; medieval cathedrals are homes every time their animals moved to a celebrated in art history books. These struc- new place. Native Americans in the seven- tures are admired because they are grand, teenth and eighteenth centuries were and because of their longevity. experts at building structures from readily The first forms of architecture available materials that provided sophisti- responded to temporality and, often, portabil- cated, and sometimes moveable, shelter.