For years, JFK Airport in Queens, New York has been in dire need of update even as the number of passengers flying into and out of the airport increases (a record 55 million passengers traveled through JFK in 2022). According to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, their goal was to make the airport one of the top-rated airports in the world and a “21st century global gateway.” This meant that The New Terminal One at JFK had to meet sustainability standards and serve as a catalyst for regional economic growth with modern hospitality-like amenities that would create thousands of local jobs. To top this off, the multi-year construction of the new terminal would have to take place as the airport at large continued to operate.

Designed by Gensler and AECOM, The New Terminal One will span approximately 2.4 million square feet and introduce 23 new gates — a scale that has been likened to the Empire State Building tilted on its side. Thirty-foot ceilings and a central spine of skylights elevate the arrival experience, and 300,000 square feet of dining, retail, lounges, and recreational space — including an outdoor greenspace — creates a modern hospitality setting. Sustainable design strategies will support a LEED Silver certification and will include energy efficient daylighting through tinted glass, solar panels that will generate 35-40% of the energy load, and rainwater catchment on the roof that will decrease water consumption.

With a price tag of $9.5 Billion — all funded by a private consortium — the New Terminal One at JFK is already one of the largest design-build projects undertaken in Gensler’s history. Team members across 22 of the firm’s offices are collaborating on the project, underscoring the unique borderless and cross-disciplinary skillset Gensler offers its clients. By its completion in 2030, the new airport addition is expected to create over 10,000 jobs for residents of New York and the local community. The terminal’s 2.4 million square feet and LEED Silver certification will make it one of the largest and most sustainable airport terminals in the city, and a best-in-class model for the future of airport design anywhere in the world.