I have always felt that there is something cosy and homey about the color schemes of the 1970s. Dark and powerful earth colors dominated the design of the corporate, home and commercial western world. From shopping malls, to the basement den to the airport. So, follow us as we visit some airports of the period to experience what checking in was like in the 1970s.

American author Tom Wolfe labeled the 1970s as “the Me Decade”. He based this on America’s newfound preoccupation with self-discovery and self-awareness. So the design, colors and atmosphere reflected these values of course. Bright green, brown, orange, red and yellow colors ruled everything from appliances, carpets, wallpaper and sofas. Commercial buildings such as shopping malls and airports prominently featured the new “me decade”. You were meant to feel like you were still at home, all the time.

Below are bunch of photos, screenshots and postcards from Minneapolis-St Paul, Stapleton, Melbourne, Berlin and Tampa airports from the 1970s. All of the movie buffs out there will surely recognize Minneapolis-St Paul as the stand-in location for the fictional “Lincoln International Airport“, from the movie Airport (1970).

What are your favorite memories of the 1970s design?