This lecture explores the architecture of airports as major “places to move” in the contemporary world, examining how airports have evolved from simple transit facilities into complex civic and global infrastructures. It discusses the transformation of airports from functional sheds to monumental architectural landmarks, emphasizing their roles as national gateways, economic engines, and symbols of technological progress and globalization. The lecture also highlights concepts such as the hub-and-spoke system, mega-airport hubs, multi-modal transport integration, and the rapid growth of global air travel, which have driven the development of larger and more technologically advanced terminals. Through examples like Stansted Airport, Kansai Airport, and Beijing Terminal 3, it demonstrates how modern airports integrate engineering innovation, passenger-centered design, commercial spaces, sustainability, and urban planning, ultimately evolving into airport cities or “aerotropolises” that function as major urban systems.