Sometimes, the most powerful lessons in construction don’t come from a spec sheet or job site—they come from 80-year-old bunkers slowly crumbling into the sea.
Welcome back to What the RFI? It’s been some time since we last spoke. April was a bucket list month for me! My partner Julia and I finally made the trip I dreamed about for years—we travelled to Europe! And while this wasn’t your typical site visit, it turned out to be one of the most eye-opening explorations of architecture, culture, and construction I’ve ever experienced.
Let’s get into it!
A Journey Through Architecture, Culture, and Roast Beef
We landed in Frankfurt, met up with Julia’s family, and spent a few days in Crailsheim. We caught up with her sister and nephew, walked through quiet streets, and had the best roast beef dinner I’ve ever tasted—in a renovated barn, no less.
Europe does restoration right. It’s not just about preserving walls—it’s about preserving the stories.
Paris: A Living Museum
From Crailsheim, we took the train to Paris and stayed in the 18th arrondissement. From the Wall of Love to the Sacré-Cœur and the newly restored Notre-Dame, every corner of the city was layered with history and beauty.
The detail in European architecture is insane—from the Pantheon’s intricate carvings to the Eiffel Tower’s 700-steps-of-leg-day. Fun fact: that beast gets repainted every 7 years with tons of brown paint.
We capped off the day biking through the city, catching the Louvre at night, standing in awe of the Arc de Triomphe, and watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle from the Trocadéro.
Normandy: Where Construction and Conflict Collide
Then came Normandy.
We hopped on a train to Caen, rented a car, and headed to our B&B in Courseulles-sur-Mer—right on Juno Beach, where Canadian forces landed on D-Day. That’s where I saw my first WWII bunker.
And that’s where I hit pause.
The Atlantic Wall: Concrete, Conflict, and Construction Scale
The Atlantic Wall was one of the largest military construction efforts in history. Built by Nazi Germany from 1942 to 1944, it stretched over 2,600 km from Norway to Spain. Between 15,000 and 18,000 bunkers were constructed using forced labour, under impossible timelines and immense political pressure.
Some were incomplete. Others were heavily fortified. Many were flawed. Concrete was poured by the ton. Logistics were chaotic. And construction coordination? Let’s just say their CA processes wouldn’t pass muster today.
But the scale? Unreal!!
Walking through these structures—massive concrete shells with two- to three-foot-thick walls, sloped faces, angled keyholes for machine gun fire—was eerie. Some have sunk. Others still stand defiant against the sea. The design decisions—quick prefab vs. long-term durability—tell a very human story of rushed timelines, material shortages, and flawed planning under extreme duress.
There are real parallels to how we manage complexity and urgency in modern infrastructure projects. The difference? Today, we have the tools—and hopefully the ethics—to do better.
D-Day Beaches: A Personal Reflection
The next day, we visited several D-Day beaches. I’ve always been fascinated by WWII history, but nothing prepared me for the emotions that hit me in Arromanches-les-Bains.
Remnants of the Mulberry Harbour—temporary Allied seaports built after the invasion—still sit offshore. Seeing them… it hit me hard. These weren’t just artifacts. They were part of something massive, desperate, and brave.
At Omaha Beach, we climbed up to Bunker WN 65 and looked out over the same sand that thousands of Allied soldiers faced under fire. I knelt in the sand, listened to the wind, and reflected. It’s impossible not to.
We ended the tour at Pointe du Hoc—130-foot cliffs covered in bomb craters and torn bunkers. The scale of what happened there, what was risked and sacrificed, is beyond words.
Back to Beauty, Culture, and Easter Eggs
After Normandy, we circled back through Caen, explored an abbey, and had the perfect three-course romantic dinner to wrap up our time in France.
We celebrated Easter back in Germany with Julia’s family—hikes, too much chocolate, and endless laughter. We climbed the tallest cathedral in the world in Ulm and visited Neuschwanstein Castle—yes, the Disney one. But the real thing is way cooler.
We drove the Autobahn. Ate more great food. And soaked up every moment.
A Trip That Changed Me
We flew home exhausted, emotional, and completely fulfilled. We even watched Dirty Dancing on the flight—neither of us had seen it before. And yes, when we got back to the Vancouver airport at midnight… we danced in the parking lot.
This trip took 22 years to happen. But I’ll be holding onto these memories forever.
Visiting the Atlantic Wall reminded me that architecture tells stories, even the painful ones. Visiting the D-Day beaches reminded me to reflect, to be grateful, and to remember. And experiencing European architecture—its detail, elegance, and endurance—reminded me why we do what we do as designers and builders.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve got a bucket list trip—make it happen.
If you’ve got a passion—chase it.
If you’re feeling burnt out—take the break.
And remember: buildings don’t just shape space, they shape history. Whether it’s a barn turned restaurant or a bunker turned relic, construction leaves a legacy.
What’s Next?
We’re back at it with What the RFI? and I’ve got some incredible episodes coming your way. Next week, I’ll be at AIA National in Boston—so keep your eyes peeled for a recap!
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