Design Moment: Dublin Airport terminal, 1940

If anything captures the glamour of early commercial flight it’s the modernist terminal building at Dublin Airport, designed in 1937. Then called Collinstown Airport, its new terminal was designed to cater for 100,000 passengers a year – although war-time restrictions meant that in its first years Aer Lingus operated just a twice-weekly flight to Liverpool from its gleaming building. Built in reinforced concrete, with cantilevered balconies, long horizontal lines, glass-brick panels and steel-framed windows, the curved five-storey building is regarded as the finest example of the International Style in the country.

Visionary architect

It was designed by the Office of Public Works under the direction of visionary architect Desmond Fitzgerald and it opened in January 1940. Everything about it captures the glamour and sophistication of early commercial flight. Paul Larmour in his book Free State Architecture shows the aerial plans for the terminal, making it clear that, from above, its shape follows the curved form of an aeroplane. He notes that while the building was lauded at home, it did not because of timing get the international attention it deserved.