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Kansas City International Airport: Kansas City, MO

Year:

1972

The 1960s were dynamic years for innovation in the airline industry. Airports everywhere were being expanded and replaced to accommodate increasingly larger commercial jets and the growing number of passengers. Kansas City officials tapped the local architecture firm Kivett & Myers to work with local carrier Trans World Airlines (TWA) to design a new airport that met the needs of the airlines, while reducing the distance passengers were required to walk. When the new Kansas City International Airport opened in 1972, it showcased a unique and innovative airport design. Instead of a single, long terminal, the facility featured three horseshoe shaped rings that delivered a "drive to the gate" concept that shortened a passenger's walk to under 100 feet. The design team selected exposed ribbed concrete as an economical and attractive construction material.

Photographer:

Sheila Vemmer

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