Spirits of the Sky

摘要

Flying into Dulles International, home to architect Eero Saarinen's landmark terminal, one might not easily spot the Smithsonian Institution's contribution to the airport, despite its expansive 760,000 sq. ft. That's because the museum's new facility, the Steveh F. Udvar-Hazy Center, very much resembles any other large airport hangar. And that was St. Louis-based arhitect HOK's intent. The facility is essentially a collection of aircraft garages spanning the length of three football fields. On display are some of aviation's most prized treasures, including the space shuttle Enterprise, an Air France Concorde and the infamous SR-71 Blackbird spy plane, which, until now, has never been viewed by the public. This massive, multi-purpose complex, which includes an IMAX theater, is expected to host 3 million visitors annually. And with so many people present, special fire-protection and life-safety measures are added to protect both building guests and the more than 300 rare aircraft on display.