Original Terminal Building, Dublin Airport.

Designed June 1937, Completed 1940

Dublin Airport terminal Designed 1937 Land side view - original state

Design team led by Desmond Fitzgerald

The former World War I RFC / RAF base at Collinstown in North Dublin had fallen into dereliction and disuse during the 1920's. To provide for regular air services the military field at Baldonnel was initially used. With the establishment of Aer Lingus in 1936 providing more regular air links, the decision was made to reopen Collinstown for civil aviation.

Completed during the war, the very moderne airport terminal remained little known until the war ended for security reasons. For the period the terminal was a very serious effort at the international style, with a convex shaped terminal building facing airside. Exterior stairs in a sweeping nautical style led to spectator balconies allowing views of the modest traffic of the time.

 

The terminal served  into the 1970's, coping well with a tenfold increase in passenger numbers before a replacement was needed. The present main terminal, which is to the south of the original, opened in 1972.

Recent view of Terminal from Airside Airside view : Photo May 1998

The original has been altered over time, but  it is still largely extant.

 After a period without  public access when it was just used as offices, it is now mainly used as offices and for some extra boarding gates at ground floor level (A area). Travellers can once again see something of the original. Access and internal layout are, however, very significantly changed, and the original entrance area and the upstairs area is off limits to travellers. Various plans to add an additional pier (D) to this terminal seem to be progressing at present and a new temporary pier is also in use. The Control tower was also raised for better visibility sometime in the early 1950's.

The possible influence of the Wells Coates 1932 design for an airport on the design team seems to have gone largely unrecognised, but his design does not have the attractive curved ends of the Dublin terminal. A plan for a modern terminal at Belfast City Airport was abandoned on the outbreak of war.