I remember the first time I went to Europe in '72, we connected at Terminal 5 on the way to MAD. I was 7 at the time and thought the terminal was about the coolest building I'ld ever seen. I also remeber the walk to the gates thru the curved connecter tunnel, wishing I had by bicycle with me! I truly hope they do something magnificinet with the building and NOT turn it into a conference center or some such crap.

Namaste

I remember that place fondly. I was flying on a 747-200 bound for Rome out of there about 5 or 6 years ago. I had an 11 hour delay and got to spend a lot of time watching the aircraft movements while I waited to leave for Rome. Jake

EMBRY-RIDDLE BABY

The TWA terminal, in my opinion, is the finest terminal on Earth. Saarinen is an architectural genius and I believe this structure is his masterpiece.

Get your patchouli stink outta my store!

Is this still there?

Cool architecture! I read a good article about JFK in the UK publication "Airliner World." They mentioned that although the TWA terminal is closed right now, plans (at least for now) do not call for this historic terminal to be destroyed.

Also remember that IAD is a Saarinen creation we can still enjoy in active service. N

I've flown out of the TWA Flight Center (original name, now "JFK Terminal 5") many many times and I love the main lobby hall. It's a grand beautiful building that while having fallen to disrepair over the last 15 years, could with loving determination be transformed into a restored masterpiece. I have no problem with turning the building into a conference center, but I question what commerical viability that would have. I think a hotel lobby or shopping center or museum or office building or ground transportation hub could be better solutions. TNNH

by the way, great scenes of the terminal in Steven Spielberg's entertaining new film, Catch Me if You Can

great scenes of the terminal in Steven Spielberg's entertaining new film I haven't seen it yet, but I'm sure I'll own the DVD for no other reason. Any scenes of TWA planes in the movie?

Photos of T-5 being built,

"makes much more sense to live in the present tense"

I strongly recommend Ezra Stoller's book "The TWA Terminal," which is a collection of his photographs of the terminal when it was being built and shortly after it opened. It also contains a history of the terminal, drawings and plans, etc. VERY cool.

An unexamined life isn't worth living.