Schiphol, Netherlands' most famous national airport, has grown in fits and starts as a result of ever-expanding traffic in freight and passengers. The area around Schiphol is constantly evolving, yet there is great consistency in the visual aspect of this airport, which can rightly be called a mega-structure. This is not merely due to the efforts of its designers, who have strived to achieve a spectacular simplicity. Other factors, such as its location in a polder and the local planning culture, have also played a role. In this book an analysis of its metamorphoses over the past century demonstrates Schiphol's unique character and its function as a model for other airports.