PS1200 embodies the vibrant, eclectic nature of Magnolia Village, a diverse neighborhood in Ft. Worth, Texas, with nearly half of the corner site dedicated as a public plaza. Built using the venerable Quonset whose strength comes from the corrugation of its metal skin, PS1200 features three buildings: two are single story along the street for a restaurant and gallery, and the third is three-stories for the live work units.
Project Statement
PS1200 embodies the vibrant, eclectic nature of Magnolia Village, a centrally located, mixed use neighborhood in Ft. Worth, Texas. Slowly brought back to life over the last 30 years, Magnolia Village has a small-town Main Street appeal with a wide range of dining, retail, and other businesses that contribute to a thriving community now recognized as one of the ‘Great Places in America’ by the American Planning Association.
Where so many new developments fill their entire site, PS1200 is restrained, turning nearly half of the busy corner site over to public space that is generously filled with an array of native tree species, especially Pond Cypress. Providing shade throughout the plaza that connects the restaurant, gallery and retail at the ground level, trees fill in the gaps between locally sourced stone paving that has a decidedly ancient character. Evocative of the ancient geology of the site, the ground is porous, carefully collecting and returning rainwater to the aquifer and the watershed of the Trinity River nearby.
Building on several of Prince Concepts’ past projects, PS1200 uses the venerable Quonset hut whose structure and strength comes from the corrugation of its metal skin. The potential and beauty of these simple structures has often been overlooked, relegated to industrial use, but through deliberate care and design, an inspiring new life and dignity is introduced, elevating something prosaic and humble into something noble.
The public face of PS1200 includes a new restaurant in one freestanding building and grab and go café and exhibit gallery in another. As a generous single story, these spaces are wrapped with the same corrugated ‘galvalume’ metal skin of the live work units but turned on its side. Deep overhangs provide generous entries and protection from the often-intense Texas climate. The durable, industrial character is softened and complemented by gently curved corners and banks of glass that face into the tree-filled park.
Behind the restaurant and gallery, the live work units rise to a generous three stories, the rolling rhythm of the roofline evoking the shape of the Kimbell Art Museum nearby in Fort Worth. The central space of the plaza expands into a pedestrian alley leading to office and retail bays, each separated by stone walls. With discreet entries from the west, the apartments all overlook the tree-filled public park to the east. Abundant daylight fills the vaulted space of the lofts, each two and a half stories with custom plywood enclosures for the kitchen, restroom, and storage. The combination of ancient and modern materials gives PS1200 a timeless character, one that remembers a powerful past and imagines an exciting future.
PS1200 embodies the benefits of contemporary city life — working, living, and relaxing in one beautiful, convenient, and central location. At once exuberant and restrained, PS1200 is a generous addition to the already vivid fabric and of Magnolia Village. Serving an intensely diverse and growing community through its inventive approach to balancing public and private, PS1200 is a prototype for thoughtful and inclusive development nationally.
