War, Design, and Weapons of Mass Construction

Abstract

The last hundred years have seen increasing amounts of time, energy, and money dedicated to war and defense. While much of this effort has been directed toward the development of new weapons and equipment, it has also radically influenced the design of buildings. The criteria for the design of buildings for war differ significantly from those that are traditionally associated with architecture; preoccupations with “firmness, commoditie and delighte”¹ are set aside in favor of the pragmatic—the development of strategic defensive systems and facilities that can be improvised quickly. Governments, politicians, and military leaders, prompted by these unusual circumstances, have frequently commissioned massive site-specific installations, extensive defenses and constructions embedded in the landscape.