Residential construction has traditionally been a site-driven process, where progress depends on sequential trades, labour availability and weather conditions. But as cities face increasing housing demand, the industry is beginning to explore a different model, one where homes are manufactured before they are assembled. FUZE Ballpark in Glendale, Arizona, exemplifies this shift, demonstrating how steel is helping transform residential construction into a more precise, industrialised process.
Spread across 566,939 sq ft, the five-storey, 321-unit development was assembled from 527 steel-framed volumetric modules manufactured off-site before being transported for installation. By allowing fabrication and site preparation to progress simultaneously, the modular approach significantly reduced construction time while improving quality control and minimising material waste.
Steel was fundamental to making this approach viable. The project adopted Hollow Structural Sections (HSS) for virtually all beams and columns, not merely for their structural efficiency but for the dimensional precision and torsional rigidity required during lifting, transportation and final assembly. Every module had to function as an independent structural unit before becoming part of the completed building, making consistency in fabrication critical.
The HSS-centric structural system also demanded a fresh approach to connection design. More than 90 per cent of the structural connections employed Shuriken fasteners, simplifying installation and ensuring the accuracy required when hundreds of independently manufactured modules are brought together. Combined with specially engineered vertical bracing, the system enabled the modules to perform as a single, integrated structure.
Beyond accelerating construction, FUZE Ballpark highlights steel’s growing role in industrialised building. By combining off-site manufacturing with precision-engineered steel framing, the project demonstrates that steel is no longer simply enabling larger or taller buildings; it is reshaping how they are built. As the demand for faster, more sustainable housing continues to grow, projects like FUZE Ballpark offer a glimpse into a future where construction increasingly resembles manufacturing, with steel at the centre of that transformation.
