The Pentagon, completed in 1943, is one of the largest office buildings in the world, and, as suggested by it’s name, features an unusual, five cornered pentagon shape. This, of course, raises the question for curious minds of how the shape came about.
As it turns out, there were several reasons behind the unique design:
The Arlington Farms Location
The original choice for the new military complex was a stretch of land near the Arlington Cemetery, which at the time, was being used for a experimental farming. Arlington Farms was bound by access roads, which formed a slightly irregular pentagon shape.
When the current location was selected, it was too late to re-design the building, and the pentagon shape remained. However, the five sides were straightened out and more evenly shaped to become the Pentagon we know today.
Concerns Over Disrupting Scenic Views
The building is distinctively short and compact, despite its massive size. This is due to specific design directives of not exceeding five stories in height, and one of the reasons for these directives was concerns over disrupting the scenic views to and from the Virginia site, and Washington, D.C.
Steel Shortage During The War
There was an acute steel shortage during the war, which prevented the steel skeleton needed for height. Instead, the building was made primarily of reinforced concrete.
The concrete filler could easily be dredged from the grounds around the site itself, including the Potomac River. Ramps runs through the complex, as a solution instead of steel-enforced elevators. The lack of decorative ornaments such as bronze doors and plaques is also because of shortages due to the war.
Walk Between The Furthest Points Of The Building Within 10 Minutes
Maybe the most important reason for the pentagon shape is the quick and easy access to and from the furthest points of the building. Despite it’s enormous size, it’s possible to walk from opposite corners of the building in under 10 minutes. That includes taking a shortcut through Ground Zero, which is the name of the open courtyard at the center of the building.
People unable to physically walk on their own have access to scooters, which zips them around at up to 3 mph.
Other Trivia About The Pentagon
There are other quirks about the building besides its shape. History.com offers fun facts about the building process, such as that it was designed it in only three days by architect George Bergstrom, and was built in record time.
The Pentagon was made to accommodate 40,000 employees and 10,000 cars.
The building hosts twice as many bathrooms as necessary. This is due to the race segregation at the time, which called for separate facilities for black and white employees. Apart from those 284 bathrooms, there were also “white” and “colored” cafeterias for the construction crews.
However, due to federal regulations, all facilities ended up being open to both black and white employees from the start, which made the Pentagon the only non-segregated building in Virginia at the time.
Watch this video to learn more about the fascinating history of Pentagon:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPQ6mGfGhbs
Featured Image Via YouTube Video.
