Contenido

Es notorio que las viviendas prefabricadas existían antes de que la casa Lustron saliera al mercado. Sin embargo, fueron sus expectativas de eficiencia en la línea de ensamblaje y construcción modular lo que lo distingue de sus competidores. Las casas fueron diseñadas por Morris Beckman&action=edit&redlink=1 "Morris Beckman (arquitecto) (aún no redactado)") de la firma Beckman and Blass") de Chicago y pueden haberse basado libremente en los diseños de Cemesto"), una empresa con sede en Oak Ridge (Tennessee) "Oak Ridge (Tennessee)").[8]​ Con paneles de acero esmaltado por dentro y por fuera, además de armazón de acero, las viviendas destacaban junto a viviendas más tradicionales de madera y yeso.

Las casas de Lustron generalmente se construían sobre cimientos de losas de hormigón sin sótano. Sin embargo, se sabe que alrededor de 40 casas Lustron tienen sótanos.[9]​ Su robusto marco de acero se montaba en el lugar de construcción, y la casa se ensamblaba pieza a pieza desde un camión de reparto especial de Lustron Corporation. El equipo de montaje, que trabajaba para el constructor-distribuidor local de Lustron, seguía un manual especial de Lustron y se suponía que debía completar una casa empleando tan solo 360 horas-hombre.[10]​.

Color options

Ohio History Connection") recognizes four exterior colors: "Surf Blue", "Dove Grey", "Maize Yellow", and "Desert Tan". Teal, green, pink, and white were erroneously reported for a few years as available. Window frames were primarily ivory, although early models used yellow trim on "Surf Blue" models.[10]​

Interiors

The interiors were designed keeping in mind modern living, space saving and ease of cleaning. All Lustron homes had metal-paneled interior walls that were often gray. To maximize space, all interior rooms and closets had built-in doors. All models featured metal cabinets, a utility and storage area, and metal soffits. On Westchester Deluxe models, the living room and master bedrooms had built-in wall units. As an additional option, customers were introduced to the exclusive Thor combination dishwasher and washing machine, built into the kitchen sink.

Window types

There were two main types of windows in Lustron homes: tripartite and casement, all manufactured by Reynolds Aluminum.

"Tripartite" windows consisted of a central light flanked by two side casement windows, each subdivided into four bays. Three-light and/or square aluminum frames with interior screens were standard in all Lustron homes. Additional shutters were available for residents in colder climates.

The two- and three-bedroom Westchester Deluxe models were unique in that they featured a three-way window in the living room area: no other Lustron line included this feature.[11] On the two-bedroom Westchester Deluxe models, additional three-way windows were placed in the dining room and bedrooms. For the three-bedroom Westchester Deluxe models, tripartite windows were provided in the dining room and two of the bedrooms, as well as in the bay window in the living room. Although the Westchester Standard line did not have bay windows, it had tripartite windows in the same rooms as the two-bedroom Westchester Deluxe model.

The two- and three-bedroom Newport models, which did not have bay windows, offered tripartite windows in the dining/living room area. A model of the Meadowbrook house shows that the design included two tripartite windows, both in the dining/living room area, similar to those of the Newport line.[12]​.

Roof, floor and other details

Likewise, the roof consisted of porcelain-enameled steel tiles, installed like conventional tiles. The front and rear doors featured a single sheet of translucent wavy glass. As seen in the table above, the floors in the Westchester Deluxe models were asphalt tiles, but in other models (Westchester Standard, Newport and Meadowbrook), they were installed as a “builder's option”.[6]​.

Temperature control

In most models, the houses were heated with an oil furnace, which directed hot air into an enclosed space above the metal roofs. The walls contained a one-inch blanket of fiberglass wool insulation. Later production models of the Newport used a forced air system.

Identification marks

Notable exterior features of Lustron homes include siding consisting of square segments of material, followed by zig-zag downspout grating at the front and rear corners of the buildings. On two-bedroom Westchester models, the downspout connects through the trellis to a pillar supporting the open porch. Rust has often led to homeowners removing the trellis.

Lustron Corporation declared bankruptcy in 1950, despite being a very well-financed, well-publicized, and government-backed company making a product in high demand. Production delays, lack of a viable distribution strategy, and escalating finished product prices contributed to the failure. Additionally, local zoning codes also played a role. In some municipalities, for example, an ordinance banned homes with steel chimneys. There has also been talk of an organized effort by the existing housing industry to stop Strandlund, comparing him to Preston Tucker (somewhat ironic, because Strandlund's first choice for the Lustron factory, the Dodge Chicago Aircraft Engine Plant in Illinois, was actually awarded to Tucker to build his cars).

The largest set of Lustron homes in one geographic location was at Quantico, Virginia, where 60 were installed on a United States Marine Corps military base. All Westchester Deluxe models came in four colors. Major renovations in the 1980s resulted in some of them being painted pink and lime green. In January 2006, it was announced that the houses, "too small for most families", would be removed from the base and given away.[13] Fifty-eight of Quantico's Lustrons were offered for free (with an application and an $8,000 deposit) in 2006, but only one person came forward and purchased a house, which was decommissioned.[14] Twenty-three of the Lustrons Quantico were demolished in 2006 and thirty-four others were demolished in 2007.[15] The two remaining houses on the base are on the National Register of Historic Places and are currently used as maintenance buildings.[16]

Todavía se conservan alrededor de unas 1500 casas Lustron en 36 estados.[17]​ Muchas han sido modificadas con adiciones, cocinas remodeladas, ventanas de vinilo, techos compuestos, nuevos sistemas de calefacción, paredes interiores de lámina de roca, exteriores pintados y revestimientos. Algunas han sido desmontadas, reubicadas y reensambladas.

Una casa modelo Westchester Deluxe restaurada (sin techo) procedente de Arlington, Virginia, se montó dentro del edificio de la Ohio History Connection")[18]​ en Columbus, Ohio, en 2013. Había permanecido ensamblada parcialmente (sin dormitorios) durante unos meses en el MoMA, en Manhattan. La casa estuvo en exhibición hasta diciembre de 2018 en Columbus.

Un pequeño grupo de propietarios de casas Lustron está preservando la condición original de sus viviendas, instando a otros a hacer lo mismo, y existe un número significativo de hogares Lustron completamente originales. Con el tiempo, los propietarios a menudo eliminaron la combinación de lavadora/lavavajillas de la marca "Thor")" y, en las regiones frías también es frecuente que se hayan sustituido los sistemas de calefacción radiante del techo.

Threats

Demolition continues to threaten Lustron homes, especially where land values ​​allow for buyers who desire larger, new construction homes. Other significant threats to the integrity of Lustron homes are severe weather (tornadoes, hurricanes), vehicle impact, and lack of local zoning/preservation/aesthetic legislation.

Many of the remaining specimens are found in Illinois:.

Contenido

Es notorio que las viviendas prefabricadas existían antes de que la casa Lustron saliera al mercado. Sin embargo, fueron sus expectativas de eficiencia en la línea de ensamblaje y construcción modular lo que lo distingue de sus competidores. Las casas fueron diseñadas por Morris Beckman&action=edit&redlink=1 "Morris Beckman (arquitecto) (aún no redactado)") de la firma Beckman and Blass") de Chicago y pueden haberse basado libremente en los diseños de Cemesto"), una empresa con sede en Oak Ridge (Tennessee) "Oak Ridge (Tennessee)").[8]​ Con paneles de acero esmaltado por dentro y por fuera, además de armazón de acero, las viviendas destacaban junto a viviendas más tradicionales de madera y yeso.

Las casas de Lustron generalmente se construían sobre cimientos de losas de hormigón sin sótano. Sin embargo, se sabe que alrededor de 40 casas Lustron tienen sótanos.[9]​ Su robusto marco de acero se montaba en el lugar de construcción, y la casa se ensamblaba pieza a pieza desde un camión de reparto especial de Lustron Corporation. El equipo de montaje, que trabajaba para el constructor-distribuidor local de Lustron, seguía un manual especial de Lustron y se suponía que debía completar una casa empleando tan solo 360 horas-hombre.[10]​.

Color options

Ohio History Connection") recognizes four exterior colors: "Surf Blue", "Dove Grey", "Maize Yellow", and "Desert Tan". Teal, green, pink, and white were erroneously reported for a few years as available. Window frames were primarily ivory, although early models used yellow trim on "Surf Blue" models.[10]​

Interiors

The interiors were designed keeping in mind modern living, space saving and ease of cleaning. All Lustron homes had metal-paneled interior walls that were often gray. To maximize space, all interior rooms and closets had built-in doors. All models featured metal cabinets, a utility and storage area, and metal soffits. On Westchester Deluxe models, the living room and master bedrooms had built-in wall units. As an additional option, customers were introduced to the exclusive Thor combination dishwasher and washing machine, built into the kitchen sink.

Window types

There were two main types of windows in Lustron homes: tripartite and casement, all manufactured by Reynolds Aluminum.

"Tripartite" windows consisted of a central light flanked by two side casement windows, each subdivided into four bays. Three-light and/or square aluminum frames with interior screens were standard in all Lustron homes. Additional shutters were available for residents in colder climates.

The two- and three-bedroom Westchester Deluxe models were unique in that they featured a three-way window in the living room area: no other Lustron line included this feature.[11] On the two-bedroom Westchester Deluxe models, additional three-way windows were placed in the dining room and bedrooms. For the three-bedroom Westchester Deluxe models, tripartite windows were provided in the dining room and two of the bedrooms, as well as in the bay window in the living room. Although the Westchester Standard line did not have bay windows, it had tripartite windows in the same rooms as the two-bedroom Westchester Deluxe model.

The two- and three-bedroom Newport models, which did not have bay windows, offered tripartite windows in the dining/living room area. A model of the Meadowbrook house shows that the design included two tripartite windows, both in the dining/living room area, similar to those of the Newport line.[12]​.

Roof, floor and other details

Likewise, the roof consisted of porcelain-enameled steel tiles, installed like conventional tiles. The front and rear doors featured a single sheet of translucent wavy glass. As seen in the table above, the floors in the Westchester Deluxe models were asphalt tiles, but in other models (Westchester Standard, Newport and Meadowbrook), they were installed as a “builder's option”.[6]​.

Temperature control

In most models, the houses were heated with an oil furnace, which directed hot air into an enclosed space above the metal roofs. The walls contained a one-inch blanket of fiberglass wool insulation. Later production models of the Newport used a forced air system.

Identification marks

Notable exterior features of Lustron homes include siding consisting of square segments of material, followed by zig-zag downspout grating at the front and rear corners of the buildings. On two-bedroom Westchester models, the downspout connects through the trellis to a pillar supporting the open porch. Rust has often led to homeowners removing the trellis.

Lustron Corporation declared bankruptcy in 1950, despite being a very well-financed, well-publicized, and government-backed company making a product in high demand. Production delays, lack of a viable distribution strategy, and escalating finished product prices contributed to the failure. Additionally, local zoning codes also played a role. In some municipalities, for example, an ordinance banned homes with steel chimneys. There has also been talk of an organized effort by the existing housing industry to stop Strandlund, comparing him to Preston Tucker (somewhat ironic, because Strandlund's first choice for the Lustron factory, the Dodge Chicago Aircraft Engine Plant in Illinois, was actually awarded to Tucker to build his cars).

The largest set of Lustron homes in one geographic location was at Quantico, Virginia, where 60 were installed on a United States Marine Corps military base. All Westchester Deluxe models came in four colors. Major renovations in the 1980s resulted in some of them being painted pink and lime green. In January 2006, it was announced that the houses, "too small for most families", would be removed from the base and given away.[13] Fifty-eight of Quantico's Lustrons were offered for free (with an application and an $8,000 deposit) in 2006, but only one person came forward and purchased a house, which was decommissioned.[14] Twenty-three of the Lustrons Quantico were demolished in 2006 and thirty-four others were demolished in 2007.[15] The two remaining houses on the base are on the National Register of Historic Places and are currently used as maintenance buildings.[16]

Todavía se conservan alrededor de unas 1500 casas Lustron en 36 estados.[17]​ Muchas han sido modificadas con adiciones, cocinas remodeladas, ventanas de vinilo, techos compuestos, nuevos sistemas de calefacción, paredes interiores de lámina de roca, exteriores pintados y revestimientos. Algunas han sido desmontadas, reubicadas y reensambladas.

Una casa modelo Westchester Deluxe restaurada (sin techo) procedente de Arlington, Virginia, se montó dentro del edificio de la Ohio History Connection")[18]​ en Columbus, Ohio, en 2013. Había permanecido ensamblada parcialmente (sin dormitorios) durante unos meses en el MoMA, en Manhattan. La casa estuvo en exhibición hasta diciembre de 2018 en Columbus.

Un pequeño grupo de propietarios de casas Lustron está preservando la condición original de sus viviendas, instando a otros a hacer lo mismo, y existe un número significativo de hogares Lustron completamente originales. Con el tiempo, los propietarios a menudo eliminaron la combinación de lavadora/lavavajillas de la marca "Thor")" y, en las regiones frías también es frecuente que se hayan sustituido los sistemas de calefacción radiante del techo.

Threats

Demolition continues to threaten Lustron homes, especially where land values ​​allow for buyers who desire larger, new construction homes. Other significant threats to the integrity of Lustron homes are severe weather (tornadoes, hurricanes), vehicle impact, and lack of local zoning/preservation/aesthetic legislation.

Many of the remaining specimens are found in Illinois:.