Gensler’s new JetBlue Terminal 5 at JFK airport sits respectfully behind Eero Saarinen’s 1962 TWA terminal (at left), which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
The departures drop-off roadway (opposite) separates T5 from the TWA terminal.
The exterior of the arrival gates is clad in a system of concealed-fastener corrugated wall panels in a gunmetal color. Access stairs and baggage handling areas offer necessary access for airline employees.
A large overhang protects travelers from the elements, while clerestories admit light into the interior.
The security area is just off the main ticketing hall, allowing for ample space for passengers to line up before going through screening.
TRANSLUCENT PANELS Panelite Panelite.us Gensler chose Panelite’s Laminated Series with custom blue facings for 10,000 square feet of backlit walls in the Marketplace and security and baggage-claim areas, reinforcing JetBlue’s brand and creating a novel design feature to designate transitional moments. The panels are ideal for backlit applications due to their translucent facing and self-structural qualities, which reduce the need for significant vertical framing members, allowing for large, lightweight expanses. Panelite’s Insulating Glass Unit with blue ClearShade IGU core was used in the clerestory windows in the ticketing hall. The ClearShade IGU off ers a signifi cantly better solar heat gain coefficient than other typical IGUs due to the integral shading properties of its core.
RUBBER FLOORING Nora Rubber Flooring www.norarubber.com Nora products were used extensivelythroughout the National Aquatics Center at the Beijing Olympics in corridors and high-traffic areas. At JetBlue, the slip-resistant and durable products are in the baggage claim areas.
The Marketplace, located just past the security area, serves as the central concessions area. The three concourses branch off it. Restaurants and stores, a performance venue, and a suspended, egg-shaped “information yoke” dominate the space.
Upon arriving at the new building, travelers come to the main ticketing hall, an expansive curving space that mimics follows the arc of the roadway outside. Clerestories admit natural light, and a canted ceiling is one of the signature architectural features.
Passengers arriving at JFK via the city-encouraged AirTrain access the new T5 via a skybridge, which offers views of the Saarinen TWA terminal from moving walkways.
The concourses are peppered with information stations and concessions. White walls and light-colored flooring allow JetBlue’s signature blue and other accent colors to pop.
Baggage claim areas are on the lower level, directly below the main ticketing hall. These carousels are merely the public face to an extensive baggage handling system that snakes throughout the entire terminal building.
