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26 September 2007

Oops. What happens when you fail to look at the big picture: a Navy barracks building in California, when viewed from the air, looks like a giant swastika.
It was built in the late 1960s, and nobody noticed until people spotted it via Google Earth:

≡ Click to see image ≡
posted by BoringPostcards 26 September | 07:21
HA!!!!!
posted by chewatadistance 26 September | 07:29
That's where they faked the moon landing.
posted by mullacc 26 September | 07:29
Surely the knew. They have plans when they build anything. It would have shown up on the site drawings if nowhere else...
posted by mightshould 26 September | 07:31
That's what I wonder about, mightshould... the blueprints had to make it obvious, you'd think. If that was somebody's idea of a prank, I'd say it was a successful one!
posted by BoringPostcards 26 September | 07:33
Unless the legs on the ends were a later addition. then the original would just look like a big plus sign. Looks like there's a seam at each leg, so maybe that's what happened.
posted by chewatadistance 26 September | 07:36
Now that you point out the seams, chewie, I wonder if the segments are different heights. That'd hide it from the ground even more, and the architect thought, "Eh, nobody will be looking at it from above, since commercial air traffic can't fly over a Navy base anyway."
posted by BoringPostcards 26 September | 07:45
Even if it was an addition, they would need an overall site plan. You have to show the entire building in relation to the property boundaries. That is how you indicate that you're not on somebody else's land, or over the setback requirements.

So, they just probably didn't think it was a problem? Just looked at it and said, Huh, interesting?
posted by mightshould 26 September | 07:45
Fascists.

But everyone gets both a view and the opportunity to peep and flash someone.
posted by ethylene 26 September | 07:49
Perhaps, it being a military building, the designers chose to evoke the legendary fort of Su Vastu, since a Chakra-Vyuha layout for barracks would be impractical.
posted by Hugh Janus 26 September | 07:55
It seems like that shape actually saves space, so maybe they knew and just didn't care because what's the problem if nobody can see the shape?
posted by CitrusFreak12 26 September | 07:58
How unfortunate.
posted by Orange Swan 26 September | 08:43
I don't think the buildings are connected in the middle. But the bright sun on what looks like pavement in the center helps complete the symbol.
posted by me3dia 26 September | 11:42
Governments are famous for slow moving. Maybe they designed it before swastikas had the baggage they have now, and it's just that ground wasn't broken until the '60s.
posted by small_ruminant 26 September | 18:24
I read a blurb from the architect where he says:
  1. the arrangement saves space
  2. it isn't a swastika but four separate Is joined to two smaller buildings
  3. the complex won awards and was copied in concept quite a bit
IE: much ado about nothing.

Cripes even if it was a monolithic swastika who cares!? It's a bloody building. It's not like Nazis built the thing or had anything to do with it in any way. I sure hope the next hitler uses a square as his symbol so people can get down off this cross and let this mad man stop controlling their lives.
posted by Mitheral 26 September | 19:22
OMG Secret Nazi Baracks!!!111

See related "OMG Secret Nazi _____" meme on ytmnd.
posted by pieisexactlythree 27 September | 14:01
Damn you, jonmc! || Gelology

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