Why is the Pentagon shaped the way it is?
Suprisingly, the Department of Defense (DoD) is fairly forthcoming about their headquarters. The Pentagon is one of the world’s largest office buildings — it houses over 26,000 employees and boasts 17.5 miles of corridors. Yet, despite its enormous size, “it takes only seven minutes to walk between any two points in the building.” Brigadier General Brehon B. Sommervell, Chief of the Construction Division of the Office of the Quartermaster General, ordered the neo-classical building as a temporary solution to the War Departments critical shortage of space. Built in an amazing 16 months, the Pentagon cost $83 million (an investment returned within 7 years), consolidated 17 War Department buildings, and opened for business January 15, 1943. Although the DoD doesn’t mention how the shape of the building was determined, they do provide a handy link t
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- Why is the Pentagon shaped the way it is?
