The First Quonset Hut
Flexibility and open space
Since the Quonset‘s construction distributed the weight of the roof through the sides, the internal area of the Quonset opened up a huge space. Traditional buildings have significant portion of the internal space of the building taken up by load bearing structures. This huge open space is responsible for the Quonset’s flexibility, it was used for anything from bakeries, housing, medical wards, dental offices, offices, bathrooms, and, most commonly, barracks.