This post appeared in a previous blog and is here for posterity’s sake.

Recently I had the fortune to fly out of Terminal 6 at JFK on business. I had to wake up really (really) early to make the flight, but I had some time in the morning to study Eero Saarinen’s Terminal 5, and I can honestly say it is still one of the most impressive urban doors of the last 50 years (check out my photos). Terminal 5 is as grand as entering the city though Grand Central, Dulles International, or I can imagine Penn Station was. I flew through TWA in the later 1990’s, and while the finishes were slightly worn, the building was even then a delight to pass through.
While it appears that I’m late to the party on looking over what JetBlue and Gensler are doing to Terminal 5, let’s take a look anyway.

Built for the now-defunct TransWorld Airlines (TWA), Terminal 5 has been empty since 2001, only opening to the public for a short-lived art exhibition which was cut short by the graffiti and destruction of hipsters at the opening party; thus ruining it for everyone, punks.
The fate of Terminal 5 hung in the balance for what seemed like an eternity, while future tenant JetBlue (an excellent airline, by the way) worked with the local historical agencies, the Port Authority and their architect to design their way out of a bag and history. The architects are Gensler and Associates (project website) and David Rockwell, working on the exterior and interior respectively. Construction began in 2004 (here’s the news release from Gensler and from the Port Authority) and as of a few days ago, it appeared that around 50% of the structural steel has been erected for the new terminal.
Luckily, JetBlue has decided to retain Saarinen’s main terminal while building a new 26-gate, 635,000 sf terminal situated between the tarmac and the historical Terminal 5. Please see the following aerials, the first is what was existing showing the original Terminal 5 and original Flight Wing Tube #1, and the newer Flight Wing Tube #2 by Roche & Dinkeloo to handle 747 airplanes.

The next aerial is what was demolished for the new terminal:

Finally, this last aerial is a Gensler rendering overlaid onto a google maps aerial:

Now, onto the new terminal renderings, again by Gensler:




It is very admirable that JetBlue is retaining the historically protected terminal. However, the two terminals will be bisected by what appears to be a very wide (at least 4 lanes) car drive, thus turning the historic terminal into an island among blacktop. What actual program will inhabit the historical building is apparently up in the air – which is a shame since the lack of purpose will invariably place Terminal 5 at the whims of change. I only hope that, if one wishes, upon arrival or departure fliers can embark or disembark through the historical hall.
Now would be a good time to discuss how uninspiring the new terminal is, judging by all the renderings.
While David Rockwell’s interior renderings are quite evocative I still can’t shake the feeling of being in a mall. Please see below, from David Rockwell:


Obviously competing with a masterpiece such as Terminal 5 is a fool’s errand, but Gensler’s solution is all function, and no spirit. It is one matter to design and execute a nice background building, it is another matter entirely to let scope and budget take over. To be fair, I’m still reserving passing total judgement on the new terminal until it is completes. But it is safe to say that the monumental (but not in scale) airline passenger terminal is still dead.
See all of my Terminal 5 photos and stay tuned, I have more to say about this (soon).