Gatwick Airport : Stephen Garrett : Design Number 116 : August 1958 : Council of Industrial Design : London : 1958 : 3

            An article by Stephen Garrett in the August 1958 issue of the CoID's magazine "Design" looking at the newly reconstructed airport of London Gatwick, or Gatwick Airport. Gatwick had originally been used as an airstrip in the late 1920s but saw significant development with the first scheduled flights in 1933 and with a dedicated railway station opened in 1935. During WW2 it was taken over by the Air Ministry but returned to civilian use in postwar years. 

This article looks at the first phase of the redevelopment to the designs of architects  Yorke Rosenberg Mardall at a time when the only schduled flights were to the Channel Islands. The Ministry of Aviation encouraged the airport's use by charter airlines, to ease pressure on London Heathrow, as flights grew and in the 1970s British Caledonian were the dominant airline here. In recent years added development has seen Gatwick become the second busiest airport in the UK.

In the article the building is discussed and is shown during normal day-to-day operation by way of a series of photography. How relaxed and unhurried it looks! From a design standpoint there's a roll call of 1950s British designers; furniture by Hille of London, designed by Robin Day and Charles Eames, ashtrays by Best & Lloyd the Birmingham manufacturers, and lettering and clocks by Jock Kinneir. The latter is of interest as Kinneir, with Calvert, would go on to develop the UK's motorway signs, the new post 1965 traffic signs and lettering system as well as playing a role in British Rail's 1964/65 relaunch.

These photographs show waiting rooms, waiting areas and amenities such as information offices for the railway station, station platforms and Post Office. There are also check-in desks and concourse areas.

The main contractors were Turriff Construction Corporation Ltd. The magazine cover is one of many for Design by Ken Garland.

Taken on: February 4, 2024

Tags:

Mike Ashworth Collection

Design magazine

1958

August 1958

Stephen Garrett

design

architecture

airport

airport design

airport architecture

terminal buildings

lettering

wayfinding

signs

passenger terminal

interior design

interior decor

ashtrays

seating

waiting areas

railway station

sign design

Jock Kinneir

Hille Ltd.

London

Best & Lloyd Ltd

Birmingham

Synchronome Ltd

clocks

glass fibre chairs

public seating

public furniture

shopfitting

flooring

Yorke Rosenberg Mardall

Turriff Construction Corporation Ltd.

concourse

check-in desks

waiting rooms

Gatwick Airport station platforms

Post Office « less

Sets appears in: • Gatwick Airport : article by Stephen Garrett : in Design 116, August 1958 • Design magazine and the Council for Industrial Design

Groups appears in: • 1950s Britain (Original '50s images only) • PLANET EARTH VINTAGE ARCHITECTURE more » • ₪ ARCHITECTUR•ℰxᴛᴇʀɪᴏʀ┼ɪɴsɪƊƐ•SIGN ₪ « less

Camera: Brother MFC-J6930DW (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Brother MFC-J6930DW
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Apple Image Capture
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