As part of the new UnCommons mixed-use development just beyond the Strip in southwest Las Vegas, Nucor Buildings delivered three pre-engineered metal American Buildings to house the Sundry Food Hall, Urth Caffe & Bar and a third food establishment.

The close to 23,000 sq. ft. of Gensler-designed buildings earned a 2023 Design Award from the Metal Construction Association and a Metal Architecture first place design award in the Commercial Roof category.

The Urth Caffe restaurant is WELL and Green Globes certified, designed in a farm-to-table spirit with organic, sustainable and local ingredients. The building features large windows connecting the indoor seating with the outdoor patio area.

Meanwhile, the bigger Sundry Market Hall features a curated collection of regional and international cuisine.

The team selected metal for its ability to design open spaces with strong foundations in a cost effective manner. In addition, the metal enabled the architects to design unique roof angles and large open ceilings providing views of the Las Vegas skies and enjoy the fresh air.

Pre-fabricated metal buildings are “a much more cost-effective way to put a structure up,” stated Darrel Fullbright, a principal and design director with Gensler’s San Diego in an Urban Land article. The structure is cladded with more architecturally significant detail, “so they feel much more rich. We use things like rusted metal and expose the structure.”

The metal structure supports the addition of large overhead doors for easy access to indoor and outdoor spaces.

Each of the three buildings contain partition walls with tube steel supports for storefront glass. This enabled the architects to create outside covered dining.

For enhanced aesthetics, the metal building’s columns and rafters appear as solid pieces without bolt splices.

Structurally, the design increases the sideways drift deflections due to its closeness to surrounding buildings. Collateral loads were adjusted to accommodate full wood tongue and groove wood panels and wall spandrel beams are connected to the stud wall and panels.

To achieve the desired insulating R-Values, 12-in. purlins were placed 2 feet off center to accommodate the wood panels underneath.

The roof panels are comprised of 24-gauge Corten from McElroy. 

For the Market Hall building, Gensler designed a 10-ft. cantilevered mezzanine to create a 10 ft. by 60 ft. outside balcony. There is also a mechanical mezzanine to house all the mechanical units. 

The metal building design includes a watertight expansion joint between the building and next door concrete tilt-up parking structure.

The larger UnCommons development comprises 500,000 square feet of office space, 91,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, an entertainment venue, the Assembly conference center and a parking structure on a walkable 40-acre site. The development combines the modern workplace with amenities, open space and connectivity.

Photos courtesy of Ryerson Construction