Architecture and Terror in a Historical Perspective: The Role of Impediment and Deterrence

This paper analyzes architecture and defense in a historical perspective in order to comprehend the contemporary issues of offense and defense, image and perception, technology and design as expressed in today’s architectural response to terror.

While the historical review of integration of security measures in the design of the built environment relies on evidence discussed in existing literature, it offers a new look into the importance and meaning of patterns and strategies reccurring across generations. The review identifies impediment and deterrence as the two major interrelated strategies that have stood the test of time and were consistently applied in the design of a secure space and ends by reflecting on the relation of these timeless strategies to current needs.

The paper concludes that architectural design, responding to the terrors of our era, can be viewed as part of an evolutionary process in the context of history, where architecture is a practical response to the security concerns of the time. While illustrating the importance of psychological discouragement of potential adversaries from attacking a target, the paper also points to the intricacy associated with issues of image and perception.