The power of flight had long been an unattainable ability until the early 1900 s. Through experimentation and trial and error, two brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright took that famous first flight of a powered airplane on December 17 th, 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. 1 From then on, the advancements in flight and airplanes were exponential. Stunt flying, daredevil acts and air shows brought in curious spectators in a stadium sport atmosphere. The power of these new vehicles was utilized early on as a military weapon. After the end of World War I, trans-atlantic flights created an international interest in aviation. Soon, the possibility of this vehicle as a commercial mode of transportation became a reality, and citizens began traveling first nationally, then internationally. Where to house the planes and accommodate these passengers became an important aspect of this new mode of travel. The first of these airports in the United States and in Europe demonstrate the various approaches to this unprecedented building type. How each early airport attempted to meet this range of needs required by this new form of commercial travel resulted in an assortment of structures, some making important advancements in design that are the precursor to the recognizable airport terminals of today. Some of these key airports are Croydon, in London, Le Bourget in Paris, Tempelhorf in Berlin, Newark Airport in New Jersey and the Ford Airport in Michigan. After the historic flight at Kitty Hawk by the Wright brothers, further advancements in aircraft came in great leaps and bounds. Utilizing a pasture owned by a Torrence Huffman, a citizen of a town outside of Dayton, Ohio, the brothers constructed 1 Wright Brothers History, http://www.wright-house.com/wrightbrothers/wrights/1903.html.
a series of hangers over the next seven years. 2 This was to eventually become the Huffman Prairie Flying Field, would was used to not only test, but exhibit their advancements in flight to the public, and this field was the precursor for all airfields to follow. As the popularity of the airplane caught on, it struck a chord with the daredevils and adventurers across the globe. Stunt fliers competed at organized events, known as Air Meetings, like the Port avion held in 1908 outside of Paris. 3 The venues used for such events were set up much like a racetrack, with grandstands and small structures for plane maintenance and a central, flattened area for the planes to take off and land. This type of open field design flanked by areas for seating, refreshments and plane maintenance would serve as a template for airfields, and was translated into military airfields, which in time, would be converted into more modern airport complexes. Used first in war by Italy while fighting in Libya against Turkey in 1911 4, the airplane gained in popularity during World War I. These planes needed a place to be stored, serviced, and most importantly, an open area to take off and land. Utilitarian in nature, these areas were sparse military bases situated in graded fields to provided a flat surface for landings and take-offs, much like the fields used in the air shows. Termed airfields, these were grassy areas of at east 500 yards in diameter, which ideally would be either found or elliptical On the edge of the field, barracks and light hangers were set up, often consisting of nothing more than large tents. The first standardized 2 1904, 1905 and 1910, America s Airports, A Word About Municipal Airports, Janet R. Daly Bednarek. 3 Building for Air Travel, European Airports, 1909-1945, Wolfgang Voigt. 4 The War in the Air, Summary of the Air War, http://www.firstworldwar.com/airwar/summary.htm.
hangars were prefabricated wooden buildings. 5 The amount of planes produced during the war also influenced these airfields. The amount of planes owned and operated by the countries involved at the beginning of the war was approximately 700, but reached numbers over 16,000 by the end in 1918. 6 With a surplus of aircraft and areas already constructed to accommodate both the planes and the individuals flying in them, a logical shift toward a commercial/passenger use of both the planes and the facilities occurred quite quickly. Both the airfields left over from the war and the air show arenas were utilized in the infant stages of commercial flight in both Europe and the United States. Since this was such a novel building type, there were many names it could go by, depending on where you landed it might be referred to as an airport, air station, air depot, aerogarre, flughafen, stanzioni aeroplani, or aeroporto aerodrome. 7 As the popularity of commercial flight grew, spurred by its novelty and the quickness in which previously lengthy trip could be taken, the amount of routes and trips increased. Many of the once closed borders in Europe were opened after the war, permitting international travel for both European and American passengers. Destination cities such as Paris, London and Berlin as well as in the United States, found it necessary to construct larger and more advanced airports to better meet the needs of the planes and of the passengers. As more planes utilized the airports, more hangers that were larger and stronger were needed, as well as buildings for the mechanics that serviced the planes. The increasing needs of the passengers needed to be addressed within the structures and sites. Delays, caused by 5 Building for Air Travel, European Airports, 1909-1945, Wolfgang Voigt. 6 War in the Air, Airport Architecture of the Thirties, Paul Smith. 7 Naked Airport, Alastair Gordon.
technical problems or adverse weather conditions, meant that waiting was an integral part of air travel. 8 Amenities for the passengers, such as food, lodging and more accommodating waiting areas, as well as ticketing, processing, baggage and customs needed to be integrated into these structures. How these needs were addressed initially were similar to that of other transportation buildings, like railroad stations, but over time, the airport developed into its own unique structure in Europe and the United States. After World War I ended, large warplanes were being converted to passenger aircrafts, and the airfields that served them were converted towards serving the passengers as well. Just about eight miles outside the city of Paris 9, one of the first examples of this transition to a modern airport was Le Bourget. Designed and constructed on the converted site of the Dugny wartime flying base, 10 in 1919 11, and served as Paris only airport for the first passenger flights between Paris and London, 12 sometimes referred to as the Aerogare de Paris. 13 Unlike the airports familiar to us today, Le Bourget was a collection of buildings that served their own distinct purposes. A complex of neoclassical brick pavilions, 14 surrounded by walkways and gardens were constructed on the former airfield, alongside new hangers that were constructed of 8 Airport Architecture of the Thirties, The Beginning of Commercial Aviation, Paul Smith. 9 Eight miles north of Notre Dame. Great Airports of the World, Paris: (Le Bourget and Orly), Roy Allen. 10 Airport Architecture of the Thirties, The First Airports in Europe, Paul Smith. 11 Paris Airports, http://www.parispages.com/airports/. 12 Great Airports of the World, Paris: (Le Bourget and Orly), Roy Allen. 13 Naked Airport, Prototypes: 1924-1930, Alastair Gordon. 14 IBID
concrete, which were more permanent and stable than the wooden structures more commonly used during the war. These hangers were built with the purpose to each be rented to different airlines, with each hanger having the capacity to house half a dozen planes. 15 The functions housed in these multiple buildings and pavilions throughout the complex served the needs of the passengers, pilots and planes, and were segregated by their function. Administrative offices with waiting-rooms for visitors and passengers, offices and a house for the airport commander meteorological and wireless services, customs and a restaurant, 16 as well as a specific area pilots to receive medical attention, the Paul-Bert Pavilion, 17 were constructed. What makes Le Bourget integral to the development of the modern airport is the construction of these pavilions that housed the facilities and amenities. For the first time, buildings were being constructed with the express purpose of serving passenger and commercial flight. These were not converted structures left over from the war that waiting rooms and ticketing were adapted to, this was brand new construction with buildings that were purpose-built airport structures. 18 This ultimately paved the way for the new format of airport construction, though at this early time it is expressed in multi-pavilion arrangement, it will eventually find its way to be contained under one roof. Much like Le Bourget Airport, the Croydon Aerodrome, located eleven miles outside of London 19, was converted from airfields used in during World War I. Croydon 15 Airport Architecture of the Thirties, The First Airports in Europe, Paul Smith. 16 IBID 17 Naked Airport, Prototypes: 1924-1930, Alastair Gordon. 18 Airport Architecture of the Thirties, The First Airports in Europe, Paul Smith. 19 Building for Air Travel, European Airports, 1909-1945, Wolfgang Voigt.
utilized the former Hounslow Airport, which it used as a commercial airport in beginning in 1919 20 for flights between London and Paris. An older hanger left over from the war was used for the basic needs of commercial air travel, such as ticketing and passenger waiting areas, 21 and nothing more. With the increasing interest in international travel, this facility was soon inadequate. In March of 1920, 22 Croydon opened as the new air port of London; at the same time, it was the customs port of the country, from which international air routes proceeded. 23 This airport had become a central hub of commercial aviation on an international scale, and in fewer than 10 years, a new structure needed to be erected to accommodate the ever-growing amount of passengers, flights, planes and administration needs. Between 1926-1928, new terminal building, designed by The Directorate of Works and Buildings in the Air Ministry, was constructed. 24 The largest airport in the world at the time of its construction, this two-storey, fairly imposing structure, was imperious in scale with high windows and a crenellated outlook rusticated stone facing (that) was in fact concrete block and the four-storey tower contain(ing) a modern control room. 25 It was this modern control room that was so groundbreaking for airport terminal construction; this was the first control tower, a feature central and recognizable to all airports today. Aside from the integration of a control tower into this new building type, the Corydon Airport was also the first airport to 20 Naked Airport, Prototypes: 1924-1930, Alastair Gordon. 21 IBID 22 March 29, 1920. Croydon Airport, http://www.croydononline.org/history/places/airports.asp. 23 Building for Air Travel, European Airports, 1909-1945, Wolfgang Voigt. 24 IBID. 25 Naked Airport, Prototypes: 1924-1930, Alastair Gordon.
implement a sort of circulation pattern for passengers within the terminal, arrivals moved through one part of the terminal while departures moved through the other. 26 This separation of the departures and arrivals is still utilized in today s modern airport terminal design. World War I played a larger part in the development of airports in Europe than simply providing former military sites and aircrafts for conversion to a commercial function. At the War s end in 1918, the Treaty of Versailles was signed between the Allies and Germany. 27 There were multiple terms of this treaty that Germany was required to follow in order to comply with the Treaty. One important section in the treaty was in regards to Germany s military; Section III, articles 199-202, which stated simply, the armed forces of Germany must not include any military or naval air forces. 28 Though this prohibited Germany from maintaining any military air force, it permitted them to focus all their aeronautical efforts on the commercial and passenger industry. In 1922 in Berlin, which was seen as the aeronautical capital of Germany, Templehorf Field began to be employed as simple airport. 29 Though not the first municipal airport in Germany, it may be the most famous. Like the above-mentioned airports, Tempelhorf was a conversion an existing military space. Unlike the other examples, this was not a conversion from a military airfield, but a parade ground, but its expansive flat, even grounds made it ideal for new airport construction. To become more than the simple 26 IBID. 27 The Treaty of Versailles, http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/treaty_of_versailles.htm. 28 Primary Documents-Treaty of Versailles: Articles 159-213, http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/versailles159-213.htm. 29 Airport Architecture of the Thirties, Introduction, Paul Smith.
airfield it started out as, a new terminal and hangers would need to be erected, and on a large enough scale and with the modern technology to accommodate all the needs of an international travel hub. Construction on the airport began in 1924, the plan followed the symmetrical scheme of hanger-terminal-hanger. 30 Much like the airport in Croydon, a central control tower was erected. The control tower at Tempelhorf differed in design in one crucial way; it was separated from the whole of the terminal, represent(ing) an early form of the freestanding control tower. 31 This expanded on the Croydon tower, and is much closer to the current placement of a majority of today s airport control towers. The central terminal at Templehorf was the product of a design competition, won by Paul and Klaus Engler, and constructed in 1926. This terminal was an advancement in airport design in that it took into account the ever expanding commercial airline industry, and was built to be added on to at each end if and when necessary. 32 This was the first instance that this type of expansive design was utilized in an airport. Advancements in airport construction were not only being made in Europe; great strides in this building form were being taken in the United States as well. While not as quickly adopted and converted to a commercial industry as European countries had, post war America came to their own acceptance of this transportation mode through air shows and the daring feats of American pilot Charles Lindbergh. Barnstormers of the 1920 s 33 could be credited with initially popularizing passenger flight by selling tickets for rides in converted warplanes, much like selling tickets for a rollercoaster at a fair. This slowly 30 Building for Air Travel, European Airports, 1909-1945, Wolfgang Voigt. 31 IBID. 32 Building for Air Travel, European Airports, 1909-1945, Wolfgang Voigt. 33 The Aviation Legacy of Henry and Edsel Ford, Timothy J. O Callaghan.
peaked the public s interest in passenger flight, and newer aircraft were required to fill this growing need. William Bushnell Stout, an American engineer, developed the first all-metal bomber in the United States. 34 As his company continued to develop new models, more geared towards passenger flight in the post-war days, Henry Ford took interest, eventually partnering with Stout. Now that Ford was involved in the aviation industry, he would apply his manufacturing expertise to the production of the new aircrafts as well as his business expertise to the growing commercial industry. With the hub of Ford s business located in Dearborn Michigan, it seemed logical to have the location of his new endeavor situated nearby. Stout s company was to build the planes for Ford, and a factory for this purpose, as well as an airport for the planes, were to be built by Ford. Three sites with adequate land, in the vicinity of the Ford Administration building in Dearborn, Michigan were proposed to Stout, and by July 1924, a site was selected. 35 Like many airports before it, Ford airport was a cleared and leveled field with two hard-packed runways. What separated this airport from any previous to it was how Ford made the airport recognizable to pilots from the air. The word FORD was formed along runway #2 using white crushed stone 200 feet high which made it visible from 10,000 feet in the air. 36 In line with Ford s history of innovative and unprecedented advancements in technology, this would not be the first first in airport design to be seen at Ford Airport. Two years later, Ford would patented the radio beacon to be used for air travel. This new technology made possible airports to communicate 34 IBID. 35 The Aviation Legacy of Henry and Edsel Ford, Ford Airport, Timothy J. O Callaghan. 36 IBID.
directly with the pilots in planes, allowing them to find their way from point to point in all types of weather without concern for visual observations. 37 This meant more passenger flights, in conditions that previously would have grounded and cancelled them, could leave and arrive the airport. This technology was fully implemented in October of 1927, and is a service universally utilized by all planes and airports today. What could arguably be the most important contribution to the construction of airports by Ford is the concrete runway. In 1928, the Ford had installed on at Ford Airport the worlds first paved runway. 38 Prior to this, all runways were hard-packed earth, which constantly needed to be maintained due to the damage caused by landing planes. The runways were constantly gouged up by these heavy crafts digging into them during touchdown, so repacking of the ground and re-grading of it was a continuous effort. This utilization of a newly popular building material provided a smooth flat surface, that was not only hard, it was extremely resistant to the damage caused by the aircrafts. This first is something that today is so central to airport design, it is hard to imagine a modern airport without paved runways. Not all airports developed during the 1920 s were significant for the construction of their terminals or runways. The actual site of an airport can be the important factor in its prominence in history. Most airports had been constructed on previously used military fields, former air show fields or undeveloped land, that were typically adjacent to the city it was to service, and were converted for use as airports. Newark Airport in Newark, New Jersey broke from this tradition. Instead of clearing a field or converting an airbase, the 37 The Aviation Legacy of Henry and Edsel Ford, Radio Beacon and Telephone, Timothy J. O Callaghan. 38 Ford Motor Company History Intertwined with Aviation, http://www.countdowntokittyhawk.com/sponsors/ford/innovations.html.
developers for the Newark Airport decided to utilize marshland for the site of new airport. They were able to fill in this previously unusable land by dumping tons of refuse, including seven thousand Christmas trees and two hundred bank safes donated by a junk dealer. 39 Opened in 1928, 40 Newark airport would be the central air travel hub not only for New Jersey, but also for the New York City area, one of the busiest cities on both a national and international scale. Due to it serving the New York City area, Newark became one of the busiest commercial airports in the world, serving international flights as well as national. Being situated close to New York City is not the only reason this airport became so successful so rapidly. The airport was located where railways, waterways, airways, and highways meet. 41 Newark truly was accessible by all these forms of transportation, creating a commercial center on a much larger scale with multiple forms of transportation to and from the complex, on a level not previously experienced. The evolution of the airport was a result of a new form of transportation and the new architecture that was developed to accommodate its needs. With its roots based in the United States and the historic test flight at Kitty Hawk by the Wright brothers to the utilization of aircraft by both Europe and the States, the airport developed from a need to accommodate the various needs of the aircrafts and the pilots. These early airfields that once served as air show venues and military bases were ideal to be converted to the first fledgling airports as flight became more of a commercial endeavor after the war ended. 39 Naked Airport, Prototypes: 1924-1930, Alastair Gordon. 40 Newark Liberty International Airport, http://ewr.airport-viewer.com/. 41 Slogan for Newark Airport, Newark International Airport: From Marsh to International Gateway, Jeremy B. Katz.
The advancements made during these formative years were based in both design and technology, and served to create the form we are familiar with today.
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First World War.com. The War in the Air, Summary of the Air War. Last modified August 22, 2009. http://www.firstworldwar.com/airwar/summary.htm. Paris Pages. Paris Airports. Accessed April 17, 2011. http://www.parispages.com/airports/. Croydon Online. Croydon Airport. Accessed April 17, 2011. http://www.croydononline.org/history/places/airports.asp. History Learning Site. The Treaty of Versailles. Accessed April 17, 2011. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/treaty_of_versailles.htm. First World War.Com. Primary Documents-Treaty of Versailles: Articles 159-213. Last modified August 22, 2009. http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/versailles159-213.htm. Countdown to Kitty Hawk. Ford Motor Company History Intertwined with Aviation. Last modified 2011. http://www.countdowntokittyhawk.com/sponsors/ford/innovations.html. Airport Viewer. Newark Liberty International Airport. Accessed April 17, 2011. http://ewr.airport-viewer.com/.