Reopening the Bunker: An Architectural Investigation of the Post-war Fate of Four Scottish Nuclear Bunkers

Abstract

The Cold War bunker stands as an anomalous, bulky reminder of an era of both existential anxiety and high-modernist optimism within architecture. Quickly abandoned at the end of the Cold War, since the early 1990s these remains have attracted increasing interest from enthusiasts, heritage professionals and academics, and attempts have also been made to find new uses for them. This article will examine — from an architectural perspective — this cultural re-engagement and the potential for renovation and adaptive reuse of these structures. Through a consideration of the post-war fate of four Scottish bunker sites — Barnton Quarry, Gairloch, Cultybraggan and Kirknewton — the lingering influence of preparation for war, and adaptation for peace will be traced, examining the ongoing cultural production of these places through their mnemonic resonances across wider architectural canon, and their symbiotic relationship with the contemporary cultural practices which valorize them.