The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) and Arup have revealed the team delivering the art, branding and digital experience program for the New Terminal One (NTO) at John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
Art, branding and digital experience team
Arup has assembled a group of designers and curators known collectively as the XD team. The group comprises Pentagram, WeShouldDoItAll (WSDIA), Karlssonwilker, Gentilhomme and Culture Corps. In addition to leading the team and strategically developing the program, Arup is leading the digital experience design. Culture Corps will be the lead curator for the NTO art program. Pentagram’s Eddie Opara is developing the corporate brand for JFK NTO and leading brand experience development for the terminal, with support from WSDIA and Queens-based Karlssonwilker. Gentilhomme is responsible for digital content design and production.
To evoke a sense of place that is distinctly New York, the team is weaving together a locally inspired story told throughout the passenger journey. The curated environment will include elements such as digital signage, art installations and a cohesive brand identity under the umbrella of JFK’s overall branding guidelines.
Arup’s team has been directly engaged by the New Terminal One at JFK to lead this program, interfacing with the advertising partner, retail partner, the full design-build team and the port authority to ensure a rich and coherent experience for travelers throughout their journey.
The New Terminal One
As an all-international terminal, NTO is a key component of the port authority’s US$19bn transformation of JFK International Airport. It will include two new terminals, two expanded and modernized terminals and an entirely new, efficient roadway network when complete.
The NTO’s first 14 gates are scheduled to open in 2026. When fully complete in 2030, the New Terminal One will be the largest terminal at JFK with 23 gates and more than 27,870m2 of retail, dining and lounge space over a total footprint of 222,967m2.
Executive comment
“Public art that is inspiring and evocative of our region is an essential part of the port authority’s strategy to create world-class airports that are becoming destinations in their own right,” said Rick Cotton, executive director of the port authority. “Just as we have done at LaGuardia and at Newark Liberty’s Terminal A, the art, branding and digital experience at JFK’s New Terminal One will create a sense of place unique to New York, while providing travelers with treasured Instagram moments.”
“The public identity of the New Terminal One at JFK International Airport must reflect its home and our values, which means a stellar NTO art program to serve as an extension of JFK’s home city or a sneak peek for our international friends into their final destination – our region,” stated Kevin O’Toole, chairman of the port authority. “The art, the branding and the signage must work together to deliver the modern 21st century airport experience that the new JFK will offer.”
“Our world-class terminal will set a new benchmark in customer experience and redefine international travel to and from JFK – the global gateway to our nation,” commented Dr Gerrard P Bushell, president and CEO of NTO. “The NTO’s art and branding will play an important role in creating memorable experiences for all who pass through our doors. When guests arrive at the NTO, they will know immediately – this is New York.”
“We are creating an experience that can only happen in New York. Whether you’re arriving from abroad or getting one last taste before you depart, the new international terminal will serve as an extension of New York and an expression of Queens, the home borough of JFK,” said Gideon D’Arcangelo, experience design lead at Arup.
Eddie Opara, a partner at Pentagram, added, “No singular voice or image renders the real New York – allowing us to tell local and universal stories about New York, both city and state, creating a powerful sense of place. The new terminal is at the epicenter of this great experience, a lens that reflects New York’s great values of engagement, connection, excellence and embracing open attitudes of bravado, directness, curiosity and welcome.”
Yvonne Force Villareal and Doreen Remen, founding partners of Culture Corps, concluded, “We are honored to be the lead curators for JFK New Terminal One, an extraordinary space and dynamic platform for visionary local and international artists to inspire and uplift. The NTO art program will enrich the passenger journey through meaningful encounters with commissioned artworks, highlighting the magnetic spirit of New York and offering a unifying experience as we travel under one sky.”
In related news, Jennifer Aument was recently appointed as the incoming CEO of the New Terminal One at New York John F. Kennedy International Airport. Click here to read the full story.