Why the Pentagon is a Pentagon
In his June 20, 2007 article Builder In Chief, Slate’s architecture critic discusses a new book by Steve Vogel, The Pentagon: A History
Focusing primarily on FDR and the architectural interests (or lack thereof) of U.S. Presidents, Witold Rybczynksi notes some interesting historical tidbits from the new book on the geometric shape of the Pentagon itself, metonymically referred to as the entire Department of Defense.
In the article on the book, Rybczynksi explains that Franklin D. Roosevelt made important decisions as to the location and shape of the building. In summary:
Originally slated by the Army and Department of War to be built across the Potomac river from the Lincoln Memorial, the pentagonal shape of the building fit the needs for that location.
The Commission of Fine Arts opposed the location however, and Roosevelt agreed, moving the Department of War headquarters to its current location while retaining its geometric shape.
Once the design of the building was released, the CFA took issue with that as well, but Roosevelt disagreed, telling the commissioners. “I like it because nothing like it has ever been done before.”
Rybczynksi notes that “Roosevelt’s influence on architecture was, on the whole, positive. The Pentagon was originally in the wrong place, and the five-sided plan was a good solution for a building that large.”
But Roosevelt wasn’t always level-headed.
In 1941, “Roosevelt proposed a radical change to the pentagonal plan. Since the newfangled building was to be air-conditioned, he argued, there was really no need for light wells or courtyards, so why not make it a huge solid square windowless block? Think of all the savings of space and money.”
After some persuading, the project leader and Secretary of War convinced the President to keep the Pentagon, a pentagon.
Listen to the NPR story on this subject here.
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