twa: up, up, and away

on sunday afternoon, i made the long trek to jfk airport to see the eero saarinen designed TWA terminal. it was open to the public for a few hours as part of the open house ny program, and it was essentially the last time we could see it, in its "flight center capacity."

i'd seen it before --as a life-long tri-state area resident, JFK was one of the airports of my childhood, though i couldn't remember exactly when or why i'd been there (i had to confer with my mom and her uncanny memory). i only remembered white and windows and neat seats. (i got that part right.)

it was a wonder to sit in and circle the space again, especially in the clean daylight. you really have a sense of soaring, of being uplifted.

i'd dreamed about what it would be like to have special access to the terminal, to try to achieve what other photographers have. but i actually liked being with the crowds on sunday. you could see how the design could function as a social space, how and where people could gather and wander and observe each other. there was a giddiness to the afternoon-- everyone so much in awe of the space, so happy for the opportunity to be there.

with the people there, you could better envision how it might work as a commercial space for this century. (maybe not so effectively, except as a hub for a private airline?) the space is wide, but shallow. i kept thinking, where could they put all the people?

and yet....

and yet...

i still wish it could stay...

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a former airline employee...

loved the lady in red (note the headline)...

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more photos, if you're so inclined.


all photos taken october 16, 2011

© anita aguilar