Walking The Red Carpet
The TWA (Trans World Airlines) Flight Center at JFK airport in New York City is a magnificent example of adaptive repurposing done right. It was opened as the terminal for TWA in 1962, and operated as such until 2001. After a contentious few years, including threatened demolition, the headhouse (as the main terminal building was referred to) was restored and two hotel buildings were constructed on either side, breathing new life into the structure. Being added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2005, a well-deserved designation, helped save it from demolition.
This photo shows one of the ‘tunnels’ with the dramatic red carpet, that leads from Terminal 5 across an access road to the Headhouse, which now houses the reception area for the hotel.