But there is one structure left and it emerges from the barren expanse like the sun-bleached vertebrate of a tremendous sea creature from the Mesozoic Era. Building 653, better know as the Mustin Field Seaplane Hangar, cuts through the empty landscape like a mammoth drill bit with its undulating concrete dome. Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PhilaPort) is currently conducting environmental studies on the proposed demolition of the 302-foot long hangar, built in 1943 and designed by groundbreaking structural engineer Anton Tedesko, the father of thin-shell concrete construction in America. - Hidden City Philadelphia

How do we connect this building to “The White Plague” by Karel Capek? Let’s start with Karel Capek and Anton Tedesko…

Innovators…

Anton Tedesko - In Engineering

Karel Capek -