“Ghost Hangar is probably one of the most clever and astute executions of the notion of the Texas shed and the expression of a sense of place…. And yet inside is this beautiful structural system that is so tectonic, so expressive, and so directly related to the function of the hangar and the aircraft within it, that I found that duality to be extremely powerful.”
— Gordon Gill, FAIA
Location Utopia, Texas
Client Lewis Air Legends
Architect John Grable Architects
Design Team John Grable, FAIA, Krystal Sepulveda, Matthew Martinez, Javier Alonso
Contractor Joeris
Structural Engineer DCI Engineers
MEP Engineer Barker & Associates
Interior Design Peace Design
Concrete Contractors T&D Moravits
Photographer John Grable Architects
This 32,000-sf structure houses a living collection of WWII aircraft while providing thermal comfort for aviation mechanics, pilots, and visitors. The remote site and program presented a unique design challenge: how to transport and erect a 120-ft clear span structure while minimizing the impact on the landscape. The precedent structural system of a Quonset hut was converted to a rigid steel frame to achieve longer spans, with spring line-to-saddlebag connections providing the necessary vertical clearance. The roof structure and board-formed concrete buttresses provide durability, and reclaimed, preweathered barnwood siding, upcycled HVAC, natural and mechanical ventilation, and ample natural light round out the design’s response to the Texas climate. Passive light shelves, deep overhangs, cupolas, and a ThermaSteel envelope render the unconditioned hangar a shaded refuge even in the hottest summer.