Complex's swastika symbol mistake

Taken from Sydnet Morning Herald, Australia, 28.08.07
By Dan Glaister


Painting a swastika on a public building is a hate crime. But what happens when the building is the swastika?

From the ground, a construction in San Diego, United States, appears innocuous. But viewed from the air, on the internet via Google Earth, the shape is unmistakeable - it resembles the Nazi symbol.


Whoops … the building's shape seen from the air

Construction began for the six-building complex at the US naval base at Coronado in southern California in 1967.

The plans called for two central buildings and a single L-shaped barracks, but the Naval Amphibious Base Complex 320-325 evolved in design. By the time it was finished in 1970 it had four L-shaped buildings set at right angles. That was when the problem was spotted.

The scheme's architect, John Mock, said this week that while he was aware of the shape as viewed from above, he did not think it a true swastika. "We knew what it was going to look like, but it isn't that. It's four L-shaped buildings … looking at it from the ground or the air, it still is."

Forgotten about after the initial controversy, the buildings' form become an issue again thanks to the internet and Google Earth. It has led an unlikely alliance - of bloggers, anti-discrimination activists, politicians and one talkshow radio host - to take action.

And the navy has added $US600,000 ($687,000) to its 2008 budget for camouflage.

Landscaping, rock structures and solar panels should help disguise the building's shape.

"We take this very seriously," said Scott Sutherland, the deputy public affairs officer for the Navy Region Southwest. "We don't want to be associated with something as symbolic and hateful as a swastika."

The remedy might not stop conspiracy theorists. The buildings, surmise some bloggers, were put up by German POWs as a Hitler tribute. Others say nearby buildings look like planes pointing at the swastika.

One theory has it that, sideways, the buildings resemble Calvary crosses. And the crosses point to Jerusalem.

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What a stupid thing to do in the first place. The architect and the people behind the project should be seriously questioned and punished!