After 15 years of disuse, the Googie architecture-inspired TWA Flight Center at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport will be transformed into a hotel.
Gizmodo reports that the city’s Port Authority chose a renovation proposal from Jet Blue this week. The $265 million construction project got backing from Governor Andrew Cuomo this summer.
The hotel will have 505 rooms, 40,000 sf of meeting space, as many as eight restaurants, and a 10,000 sf observation deck that overlooks the runway. The old terminal will serve as the hotel’s lobby, and the rest of the rooms will be set back in a new building, according to Crain’s New York. Construction will begin in 2016, and the hotel is expected to open in 2018.
The terminal was designed by Finnish architect Eero Saarinen and built in the early 1960s. The roof helped to make the building stand out. Composed of four counterbalanced shells made of thin concrete, it looked like a bird taking flight, as Gizmodo wrote.
The TWA terminal was also one of the first airport terminals to use some of the most ubiquitous technologies. It utilized baggage carousels, automatic doors, jetways, and electronic departure time boards that were constantly updated.
Many photos of the terminal’s retro-futuristic interior can be seen on Curbed NY.
Photo: Seamus Murray/Creative Commons
Photo: Brett Weinstein/Wikimedia Commons
Photo: julesho/Creative Commons
Related Stories
Design Innovation Report | Jun 25, 2019
2019 Design Innovation Report: Super labs, dream cabins, office boardwalks, façades as art
9 projects that push the limits of architectural design, space planning, and material innovation.
Airports | May 20, 2019
How the Internet of Things will transform airport environments
Connected devices and their wealth of data have led to significant improvements in operational efficiency and passenger experience in airports.
Hotel Facilities | May 16, 2019
JFK’s TWA Flight Center has been reimagined as a hotel
MCR and Morse Development spearheaded the project.
Airports | May 9, 2019
Paine Field-Snohomish County Airport’s new terminal culminates early plan
$40 million redevelopment brands hub as true boutique airport.
Airports | May 1, 2019
The Ilan and Asaf Ramon International Airport opens in Israel’s Negev Desert
Amir Mann-Ami Shinar Architects and Planners designed the facility in partnership with Moshe Zur Architects.
Airports | Apr 1, 2019
Home team wins O’Hare terminal design competition
Studio ORD, which includes Chicago-based Studio Gang, is chosen from five finalists.
Airports | Mar 21, 2019
First photos inside the nearly completed Jewel Changi Airport addition
The addition is set to open this spring.
Airports | Feb 28, 2019
Renovation of Tampa International Airport’s Main Terminal completes
Skanska and HOK led the design-build team.
Airports | Feb 26, 2019
Design team unveils Terminal Modernization Program at Pittsburgh International Airport
The terminal’s design philosophy combines nature, technology, and community.
Airports | Feb 21, 2019
Self-service bag drops and the challenges of speeding up airport baggage check-in
More airports are asking passengers to check their own baggage. What’s the ripple effect?
