From Publishers Weekly
With a text rich in information clearly presented, and with some of the 325 illustrations (175 in full color) rising above the usual stock and archival fare, one would think the results of this niche history would be satisfying. A clear knowledge of (and affection for) his subject informs the presentation by Pearman, architecture correspondent for London's Sunday Times, but the text lacks the spark of travel from the opening sentence: "We tend not to stop and look at airports." The layout is disjointed, with photos placed and bled in a perfunctory attempt at variety rather than a design suitable to its subject, which suggests speed, romance, the unknown—and the state of waiting for them. Still, Pearman is affable and voluble on the development of aircraft and the architecture that serves them, and he hits unexpected locales like Kuala Lumpur and Cape Town (though the overwhelming emphasis is on the U.S., U.K. and Europe). A sepia photo of a 1930s interior of France's Rochambeau flying boat, packed with stylish women at a bar and lounging on bunk beds, for example, is arresting after a parade of uninhabited interiors and exteriors from a variety of eras. The overall effect, while offering all the necessary amenities, falls short of charm and adventure, much as functionality defines the beginnings and ends of most flights.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.
Book Description
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. AUTHOR BIO: Hugh Pearman is the architecture, interiors, and design correspondent for The Sunday Times in London as well as a contributor to numerous other publications in Europe and America. He is the author of Contemporary World Architecture and Equilibrium: The Work of Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners, among other books. --Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.
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. AUTHOR BIO: Hugh Pearman is the architecture, interiors, and design correspondent for The Sunday Times in London as well as a contributor to numerous other publications in Europe and America. He is the author of Contemporary World Architecture and Equilibrium: The Work of Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners, among other books. --Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.
