Where there is a building that needs the most cubic space for the least cost, you'll often find a pre-engineered steel structure holding it up. Created to be assembled as a kit with beams and columns trimmed down for maximum efficiency, these systems provide affordable, quick space for industries and institutions with a bottom line. Which, in most of these cases is a much larger priority than aesthetics.
However, this system is much more adaptable than it may appear from the majority of it's built examples. The "structural rib" has become a popular tool in the creation of new and dynamic forms and has led to an increased closeness between designers and fabricators, as in the case of the Digital Design Fabrication Group at M.I.T. www.http://ddf.mit.edu/.
The potential is there for the pre-engineered steel companies already in business across the country to partner with designers, (and vice versa) to produce compelling and affordable buildings within the capabilities of their existing process. Adding the fact that most of these companies use a large amount of recycled steel in their product and the prospect becomes even more attractive.
