JetBlue’s Terminal at New York’s JFK Airport

By Olivier / November 12, 2009

: © Rockwell Group

On a recent trip to NYC for Thanksgiving, I was expecting—as usual—to be wowed by the architecture, dazzled by the advertising in Times Square, charmed by the design in hotels and restaurants . . . But I was not expecting to be blown away by the mere sight of the new JetBlue terminal at New York’s JFK airport. The sexy, intelligent, and modern design put efficiency and comfort centre stage.

Unveiled on October 22, 2008, T5—in local parlance—was designed by the architects at Gensler. Construction of the terminal cost $743 million. It is the first terminal to see the light of day since the events of September 11, and the blueprints were drafted with new security measures in mind. With 40 self-service counters, 65 full-service kiosks, and 20 security lanes, checking in and going through security on your way to the boarding areas has never been so smooth and efficient.

In the waiting area—on the other side of the checkpoints—lies a giant grandstand inspired by the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, over the top of which hovers a 40-foot halo of LCD screens. It’s a great spot to enjoy a cup of coffee, recharge your laptop, or people-watch. This space is the creation of Broadway architect and designer David Rockwell and cost a tidy sum of $2.5 million—an impressive amount for nothing more than a waiting room, sure; but the results are spectacular!

In addition to the common areas, you can explore the wide, airy halls replete with upscale shops, restaurants, bars, ultra-trendy cafés by icravedesign, and gourmet convenience stores. You can surf the Internet for free, order a meal on one of the boarding area’s many touch screens, recharge your iPod, or just sink into one of the couches designed by Italian furniture designer Moroso.

The signage is clear yet bold, making huge plays on typography and iconography to guide travellers through T5. The airline company’s colours are on full display (carpets, furniture, backlit panels) with a touch of bright orange here and there. According to the folks at JetBlue, a way to keep travellers happy and relaxed.

Thanks to intelligent and forward-thinking design, the JetBlue experience is unique, enjoyable, and above all efficient. The airport is much more than a simple stop-over—it’s the place to go to get your vacation underway pre-liftoff!

It’s completely normal, I think, to question whether one’s field of work is doing well or, on the contrary, is an endangered species. Web Designer magazine broached this topic in its October issue—with good reason. Faced with the growing popularity of blogs and all-inclusive packages sold by Web hosts, the magazine posits whether this trend is likely to impede on—or outright murder—traditional Web design techniques. In short, should I start pursuing a career in one of my other talents ? Macramé, for instance?I think I can wait before I start taking orders for hammocks and handbags—Web design isn’t dying, it’s evolving. Web design is linked to technology that is progressing rapidly and unpredictably. Ready-made designs were, according to many, an inevitable consequence of Web development. The advent of Web 2.0—the interactive Web—opened the Web to the general population. It was a welcome progression, because it offered new potential and new avenues for designers. The “packages” acted as catalysts to raise the standards and foster new methods of designing for the Web.

Technological advances and sites like WordPress, Drupal, or even Google Site, have made creating a Web site extremely easy and open to anyone. Any Web designer will tell you, though, that having a Web site isn’t everything—you have to stand out from the crowd. The most popular Web sites (Google, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) have one thing in common: they’re unique. Their design may be simplistic, but they have all succeeded in carving a niche and eliminating the competition. And that’s where the pre-fab sites are lacking. Unfortunately, Web site templates are often too similar to each other and are missing a couple of key features—passion and creativity.

No, tasteful Web design is not a dying art, it will always have a place on the Web—it’ll just become more and more exclusive and professional.

Read the Web Designer article (in two parts): part 1 | part 2
For basic macramé techniques: Basic macramé