TWA Terminal

Project History

Eero Saarinen, an influential American architect was commissioned to design the TWA terminal in 1956. Along with the structural engineers Ammann & Whitney the “birdlike” structure was conceived as a complete environment. The architectural expression was intended to embody movement and transition. The construction of the terminal required a staff of 14 engineers and 150 craftsman. The selection of a shell-type structure offered the most dramatic architectural opportunities and made TWA stand out at the airport. For the concrete framework, steel-pipe scaffolding was erected on a grid, with each vertical accurately placed to support the underside of the form at the proper elevation and position. The terminal was closed in 2001 after TWA ceased to exist. DOCOMOMO-US, the Municipal Art Society of New York as well as the New York Landmarks Conservancy have been active in protecting the iconic structure. Today the beautifully restored terminal has reopened as a portal for Jet Blue Airways.