uk defensive architecture....

[Paul Clerkin]

programme "Invasion" on BBC2 this evening presented by Dan Cruikshank.... very interesting.. some very impressive works in term of scale.... bring to mind the magnificent forts at kinsale in cork from the same period....

[RSJ]

Yes, and Mr. Cruickshank is not putting on an act - that's how he is in real life. Including the slight obsession with donning military uniforms...

For me, the best bit was the extraordinary Georgian canalside military/government complex at Weedon in Northants. Though these days, it would seem a bit daft putting the head of state (the King) in a nice house right next to warehouses stuffed to the ceilings with high explosives.

Which was apparently the plan, had Bonaparte invaded and forced the British government to retreat north.

[Paul Clerkin]

Mine was the staircase at Dover for shifting large amounts of troops at the same time.

[dc3]

Yes an excellent programme. Martellos & Forts and intelligent comments.

[GregF]

The Brits are such a militaristic and nationalistic race....thus reflected in such architecture......as for ourselves the Irish....we live in a State of Inertia.

[RSJ]

The "State of Inertia". Sounds rather appealing. Like one of those weird kingdoms in Norton Juster's "The Phantom Tollbooth".

Personally I think there's a lot to be said for inertia. It's safe, for a start.

[MG]

next door to Utopia?

[RSJ]

I suppose a serious point here is the way that military activity always accelerates the evolution of architecture and design, along with technology in general: a paradox, given the destruction that it unleashes.

[MG]

Well that's always true, technology filters down from military programmes. Its where the research is being done.

Second part of 'Invasion' wasn't as interesting imho.

[Paul Clerkin]

I disagree, it was interesting because it also dealt with the engineering of war, the aircraft and their hangers etc..... and Mr Cruickshank got to dress up

[dc3]

I agree that the second programme was not so good. The coverage was very uneven, neither first nor second world war defensive buildings were fully covered.

The "Chain Home" interwar radar towers were ignored, but the sound detection mirrors, that led no where, were emphasised.

Why not a programme to each war, two invasions for the price of one?.
The actual invasion of the Channel Islands, and the huge overground / underground building by the Germans there seemed to pass by. Is it British Isles = England.

After all the construction implications of WWII in relation to airfields alone could have warranted a show to itself. The sheer scale of the building by the UK, and by the US forces, even in terms of impact of concrete on the landscape or of employment could have been treated.

Still better than nothing.