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Air Force Academy is finally built in Colorado Springs
Air Force Academy
- An early history of Ft. Carson
- After fierce competition Colorado Springs finally lands the Air Force Academy
- History of Ft. Carson part II
The Federal Government and the Air Force considered the Academy’s design extremely important. Air Force Secretary Talbott stated, ” We want our 
structures to be as efficient and as flexible in their design as the most modern projected aircraft.” The Air Force chose the nationally-recognized architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill Associates (SOM) to make its vision for the Academy a reality.
Ground was finally broken in 1955 and as many as 5000 people were needed to build the largest single education facility ever built in the United States
The Academy had a new style of architecture that used glass, aluminum, steel, and concrete rather than traditional materials like stone, marble, or brick. The design sparked heated debate and severe criticism from citizens and politicians alike. Many viewed it as inappropriate for a national monument. Others, however, recognized that the Academy’s design was an appropriate representation of the Air Force. The Academy’s buildings would be made of metal just like the jet airplanes and missiles that were hallmarks of the Air Force itself.
The alternating ridges and valleys created a design challenge that was difficult to fix. The Cadet Area, which forms the heart of the Academy and covers about a fifth of a square mile, was positioned atop the highest ridge with the Rampart Range serving as the backdrop. The design called for two intersecting rectangular plazas surrounded by the Academy’s principal buildings. The higher plaza, the Court of Honor, lies at an elevation of 7,176 feet above sea level. This generally open, paved space is dominated visually by the striking Cadet Chapel. A gently sloping ramp leads down to the slightly lower plaza, known as the Terrazzo. This large, open area is used for daily musters of the cadets. The relatively even terrain in the surrounding valleys was used for the athletic fields and parade ground. Although the scale of the project was monumental, the Cadet Area was designed so that all activities (i.e. meals, classes, athletics, marching,church) were within a 10-minute walk of the Academy’s only dormitory. Air Force officers considered this important because the cadet’s rigorous daily routine left little spare time.
On August 29, 1958, 1,145 cadets moved to the newly built Academy. Although many of the structures were still under construction, this allowed the Academy’s first graduating class to spend their final year at the new site.
Even before it was established, the military, politicians, and the public understood that the Air Force Academy would become a national monument much like the campuses of West Point and the Naval Academy. Although controversial at first, the Air Force Academy design gained public acceptance and is now one of Colorado’s favorite tourist attractions.
The chapel was finally completed in 1963 and has become a symbol of the Academy. I’ll be writing an article about that at a later time.
If you enjoyed reading this article, why not Kathy (719-287-1049) KTorline@msn.com
