which do you think is a well designed airport here in the U.S.
im in LAX and its crap for an airport. logan is bad as well.
I do like the TWA in NY. did they finally demolish that terminal?
i think twa stayed. jetblue (wasn't it?) had various plans for building around it, and i think they finally compromised on one that did the least to compromise the saarinen terminal, but i'm betting that jetblue isn't building much these days...
Funny, Detroit used to toally suck and parts of it still do. But the new Northwest hub there is the best airport facilities I've ever spent time in. And I say this after spending a 6 hour layover there alone with a two-year-old travelling companion ugh. The exposed structure interior is nice, and all the finishes top notch. The cool fountain is interesting, decent enough food available, the little elevated train is fun.
Portland Oregon's airport PDX is also very nice and there you can see a freestanding Coffee People pavilion that I worked on as a young'un.
The parking garage uses climbing plants very well, and has these neat curvy tension-supported bridges, all under a huge glass roof to protect you from the constant drizzle.
Austin used to have a tiny little airport that had a cool little public art installation I loved to see when I came to town: a thousand little blue flowers hung upside down overhead. It's all gone now.
Philadelphia's USAir terminal is also really good. Lots of rocking chairs, good food selection, great public art program. Actually I have to say most airports seem to be stepping up with the public art installations which really helps the time spent there. CUrrently the Philly Airport Terminal A has a small installation by Venturi Scott Brown
Oh Traverse City Michigan has a nice new airport too - they use the Eames tandems in brown which is the most appropriate use of that color I've ever seen - but I don't think you'll be flying through there.
Has anyone noticed that the major hub airports are usually pretty lame looking? Seems to even apply in Europe. London Heathrow is quite nasty. The International terminal at O'Hare is interesting design, but too small to handle the traffic. Fails completely in my book on function. The older parts of the airport are just horrid both in form and function.
Dallas-Ft Worth always reminds me of the inside of a football stadium looking to the parking lot....full of planes. I do like the newer elevated train, mostly for the view. Not nearly fast enough when you are in a rush. The concrete structure just makes me think I've landed at a Cowboys game.
Atlanta and Denver are both plain looking but operate efficiently. On business trips I'm all about getting to that connecting flight quick. Like the terminal layout both use. And I don't feel too crowded, especially given the traffic at Atlanta. Then again, the terminals feel like big box retail stores.
I'd have to say the worst airport I can think of is JFK. I don't know if it was construction or slap-on security systems, but flying back from Europe through JFK was horrible. They certainly don't provide a good first impression for new arrivals.
I'm not sure I can think of an airport I've considered particularly stunning. Reagan National is fairly nice. Cincinnati's Delta terminal is pretty bland and corporate, but well laid out.
Can the Eurostar even compete with EasyJet, RyanAir and all the other no frills euro airlines? I've always loved the novelty of the rails. Cheaper seats and more service would make it great.
Speaking of short travel distance - (PMI) Majorca, Spain has the longest walk from check-in to gate that I've ever walked. If I recall correctly they had signs for estimated walk time and it wasn't short.
there's actually a very nice midsized airport terminal in manchester, nh. it was built about 15 years ago and expanded a few times since. there are a few less than good pictures here. all in all though, it seems like good (aesthetics or function) terminals are few and far between. glad to see the twa terminal at jfk will get some new use.
I have to give a vote for Memphis. It sports what has to be the world's shortest escalator (circa 6 ft. long) and it's all brick (held together by bbq sauce)
another one - Tioman island, Malaysia. beautiful island serviced by a single landing strip for prop planes (pelangi air - it must translate to cowboy airlines - nice paintjob though). Vertical descent when we flew in - it couldn't have been scarier with naomi campbell pitching diamond cellphones at me.
flying out, we had contrails coming out of the cockpit - when's the last time you saw that?
Unfortunately eurostar and eurotunnel has not been very profitable but there is slow progress. There's plans of expansion to Edinburgh (via King's Cross), Amsterdam and Cologne. Besides, I'd much rather board at Waterloo and arrive at Gard du Nord then schlep to stansted or luton, both located in zone 189, for ryanair. And the yobs can't afford it, so no chav parade to deal with.
airport usa
which do you think is a well designed airport here in the U.S.
im in LAX and its crap for an airport. logan is bad as well.
I do like the TWA in NY. did they finally demolish that terminal?
detroit's a nice one to go through these days.
i think twa stayed. jetblue (wasn't it?) had various plans for building around it, and i think they finally compromised on one that did the least to compromise the saarinen terminal, but i'm betting that jetblue isn't building much these days...
(July 05)
Curbed: Revealed: JetBlue's Loving Embrace of Eero Saarinen (Dec 05)
TWA IS STILL THERE SAW HER LAST TUESDAY WHILE LANDING AT JFK. There is however alot of construction going on around her, It is kind of sad.
International:
Hong Kong (Cathay Pacific terminal) is great. Amsterdam is nice. Calcutta is awful - it is like the waiting room to hell.
US Hub Airports:
D-town and Seattle are good. Minneapolis and Denver is ok. SLC is the worst.
For small airports:
Bozeman is nice (it has a fireplace and great fries) - 70's mountain chic.
Funny, Detroit used to toally suck and parts of it still do. But the new Northwest hub there is the best airport facilities I've ever spent time in. And I say this after spending a 6 hour layover there alone with a two-year-old travelling companion ugh. The exposed structure interior is nice, and all the finishes top notch. The cool fountain is interesting, decent enough food available, the little elevated train is fun.
Portland Oregon's airport PDX is also very nice and there you can see a freestanding Coffee People pavilion that I worked on as a young'un.
The parking garage uses climbing plants very well, and has these neat curvy tension-supported bridges, all under a huge glass roof to protect you from the constant drizzle.
Austin used to have a tiny little airport that had a cool little public art installation I loved to see when I came to town: a thousand little blue flowers hung upside down overhead. It's all gone now.
Philadelphia's USAir terminal is also really good. Lots of rocking chairs, good food selection, great public art program. Actually I have to say most airports seem to be stepping up with the public art installations which really helps the time spent there. CUrrently the Philly Airport Terminal A has a small installation by Venturi Scott Brown
Oh Traverse City Michigan has a nice new airport too - they use the Eames tandems in brown which is the most appropriate use of that color I've ever seen - but I don't think you'll be flying through there.
San Francisco's International Terminal is da bomb...
Here's some pics:
http://www.flysfo.com/about/press/as_min_presskit_new_photo.asp
I felt a little agoraphobic in there....
The TWA Terminal is still there. The Jet Blue terminal will be behind it. There's an article in the NY Times about the design for the new terminal:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/28/arts/dance/28gree.html
ORD O'Hare United
ORD O'Hare International (looks cool from the tarmac, anyways - never flown through it)
YUL Montreal
is it orlando that has the rocking chairs and couches under a big central skylit dome? i liked that one.
the intricately detailed terrazzo floors were pretty hot, too.
Has anyone noticed that the major hub airports are usually pretty lame looking? Seems to even apply in Europe. London Heathrow is quite nasty. The International terminal at O'Hare is interesting design, but too small to handle the traffic. Fails completely in my book on function. The older parts of the airport are just horrid both in form and function.
Dallas-Ft Worth always reminds me of the inside of a football stadium looking to the parking lot....full of planes. I do like the newer elevated train, mostly for the view. Not nearly fast enough when you are in a rush. The concrete structure just makes me think I've landed at a Cowboys game.
Atlanta and Denver are both plain looking but operate efficiently. On business trips I'm all about getting to that connecting flight quick. Like the terminal layout both use. And I don't feel too crowded, especially given the traffic at Atlanta. Then again, the terminals feel like big box retail stores.
I'd have to say the worst airport I can think of is JFK. I don't know if it was construction or slap-on security systems, but flying back from Europe through JFK was horrible. They certainly don't provide a good first impression for new arrivals.
I'm not sure I can think of an airport I've considered particularly stunning. Reagan National is fairly nice. Cincinnati's Delta terminal is pretty bland and corporate, but well laid out.
in the US, there's an airport I like in vegas - it's separated from the original and has a great big entry hall with fake palms and slotmachines.
my personal list of recent airports
brown: heathrow, narita, ciampino, barajas, cdg, mumbai (nightmare)
blue: new barajas, tegel, cheplapkok, sondica, toronto t3
lately I prefer smooth operation over looks, and short travel distance from check-in to gate
still waiting on the eurostar to lower prices and expand services...
Can the Eurostar even compete with EasyJet, RyanAir and all the other no frills euro airlines? I've always loved the novelty of the rails. Cheaper seats and more service would make it great.
Speaking of short travel distance - (PMI) Majorca, Spain has the longest walk from check-in to gate that I've ever walked. If I recall correctly they had signs for estimated walk time and it wasn't short.
No one likes Dulles?
there's actually a very nice midsized airport terminal in manchester, nh. it was built about 15 years ago and expanded a few times since. there are a few less than good pictures here. all in all though, it seems like good (aesthetics or function) terminals are few and far between. glad to see the twa terminal at jfk will get some new use.
kpf is doing a new concourse for dulles, a mile long
I have to give a vote for Memphis. It sports what has to be the world's shortest escalator (circa 6 ft. long) and it's all brick (held together by bbq sauce)
mmmmm bbq building
another one - Tioman island, Malaysia. beautiful island serviced by a single landing strip for prop planes (pelangi air - it must translate to cowboy airlines - nice paintjob though). Vertical descent when we flew in - it couldn't have been scarier with naomi campbell pitching diamond cellphones at me.
flying out, we had contrails coming out of the cockpit - when's the last time you saw that?
Unfortunately eurostar and eurotunnel has not been very profitable but there is slow progress. There's plans of expansion to Edinburgh (via King's Cross), Amsterdam and Cologne. Besides, I'd much rather board at Waterloo and arrive at Gard du Nord then schlep to stansted or luton, both located in zone 189, for ryanair. And the yobs can't afford it, so no chav parade to deal with.
Dulles
http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Dulles_Airport.html
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.