Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

TrShry OP t1_iuegmsj wrote

Reply to comment by TehWildMan_ in ELI5 Why are airport ceiling so high? by TrShry

Yeah true, but seems so unnecessary being this tall

−6

RTXEnabledViera t1_iuejfv8 wrote

But since we can make them tall, we do. This isn't just airports. Look at Union station. Built in the 20s yet feels like a giant hall with a very tall roof. This isn't some new age architecture fad. Many will argue it's twice as important in airports to make passengers feel at ease since they're about to be crammed in a narrow metal tube for hours. Better to get a look at the blue sky and planes landing/taking off.

11

dmazzoni t1_iueom40 wrote

> Look at Union station.

Which one?

Not sure if you were aware, but there are ~144 train stations called "Union Station" in the U.S. alone, and many more around the world:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Union_stations_in_the_United_States

20

evanthebouncy t1_iuez2go wrote

One in NYC. I'll bet on that one.

3

shotsallover t1_iuf6yfw wrote

The one in Washington, DC also fits that description.

8

gwaydms t1_iuffcze wrote

DC Union Station is a grand old building.

3

RTXEnabledViera t1_iufxsbz wrote

Meant Union Station in DC, should have probably just mentioned Grand Central since it's the train station everyone knows.

3

BassoonHero t1_iufivy7 wrote

There's a lot of psychology that goes into architecture. A lot of things are the way they are because they make people comfortable.

Airports have to have large spaces — at least in two dimensions. The third dimension could be short without sacrificing function (other than perhaps ventilation), but it would feel cramped and oppressive. It's no different from a big-box store — a lot of them have higher ceilings than they'd otherwise need, simply to make it feel comfortably spacious.

10

GravitationalEddie t1_iugkr40 wrote

I have a feeling the fact that many people in the airport are about to spend, or just spent who knows how long in a cramped space, has something to do with the psychology of airport architecture.

8

BassoonHero t1_iuglqb1 wrote

That could well be; I don't know. But you see the same kinds of design in any large indoor space designed for a lot of people, not just in transportation terminals: shopping malls, ballrooms, big box stores, and so on.

4