A method of making an integrated circuit interconnect structure having air as the effective dielectric between metallization layers includes the steps of: a) providing an air dielectric formation layer of a sacrificial material over a substrate; b) forming a pillar holes in the air dielectric formation layer; c) filling the pillar holes with a non-sacrificial material; d) constructing a metallization layer over the sacrificial air dielectric formation layer and non-sacrificial material pillars; and e) applying an isotropic etchant to the interconnect structure to remove the sacrificial material, leaving the non-sacrificial material pillars for mechanical support of the metallization layer. An interconnect structure having an air dielectric includes a bottom metallization layer, a top metallization layer, and a plurality of pillars separating the bottom and top metallization layers and mechanically supporting the top metallization layer. Additional similar interconnect structures can be stacked over a base interconnect structure.