The airport terminal, the most important building type in the world of transportation, is also the site of the most ambitious and innovative achievements in 20th-century architecture. From the timber runway used during the Wright Brothers' first powered flight to modern glass-and-steel structures, from military buildings housing fighter planes to public spaces for both travel and shopping, airport architecture has evolved rapidly to meet the demands of a growing travel industry.
Now, in the first book to celebrate a century of airport design, noted architecture critic Hugh Pearman takes the reader on a journey through the history of these majestic beauties and predicts what the future has in store. Among the spectacular designs featured here are Eero Saarinen's TWA Terminal in New York, Renzo Piano's Kansai International Airport in Osaka, Japan, and Norman Foster's Chek Lap Kok Airport in Hong Kong. With more than 300 photographs, drawings, and posters, this exquisite volume will have enormous appeal not only for architecture, engineering, and aviation professionals, but also for armchair travelers and design buffs fascinated by the sheer beauty of these architectural masterpieces.