Naked Airport
A Cultural History of the World's Most Revolutionary Structure
Format:Paperback
Publisher:The University of Chicago Press
Published:6th Jun '08
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
This book offers a unique perspective on how airports have influenced our culture, including the evolution of travel and urban design, as explored in Naked Airport.
In Naked Airport, Alastair Gordon explores the evolution of airports and their profound impact on culture and society. From their humble beginnings in muddy fields to their current status as bustling hubs of international travel, airports have transformed our perceptions of time, distance, and style. The book delves into how these spaces have influenced urban development and business practices, showcasing the airport as a pivotal institution in modern life.
Gordon introduces a variety of key figures who have played significant roles in shaping the airport experience. He highlights the contributions of pilots like Charles Lindbergh, renowned architects such as Le Corbusier, and influential political figures including Fiorello LaGuardia and Adolf Hitler. Through their stories, readers gain insight into the dynamic interplay between individuals and the evolving nature of airports.
While contemporary airports are often associated with long wait times and security inconveniences, Naked Airport reminds us of their glamorous past, where jet-setters elegantly traversed curvilinear terminals designed by visionaries like Eero Saarinen. This book serves as a cultural history that not only captures the essence of airports but also reflects on their ongoing significance in our lives.
"This charming history documents why airports have always been such intriguing places. Gordon wittily deconstructs air terminal architecture.... Here is a book with more than enough quirky details to last a long layover." - People "[A] splendid cultural history." - Atlantic Monthly "Gordon, an architecture and design critic, tells his story well, bringing to life some of the main characters and highlighting some of the important issues concerning urbanism and airports." - Michael Roth, San Francisco Chronicle "Gordon provides a truly compelling account of how airports had over the course of three-quarters of a century become the locus of not only modern dreams but postmodern nightmares as well. Don't leave home without it." - Terence Riley, director of the Miami Art Museum "The genius of Naked Airport is its portrayal of how these way stations have changed from the muddy airfields of the 1920s to their heyday in the '60s and beyond.... In charting this evolution, Gordon has written the ideal book to bring with you on a long nonstop flight." - Time Out New York "[An] interesting, informative book." - Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World"
ISBN: 9780226304564
Dimensions: 23mm x 15mm x 2mm
Weight: 482g
320 pages