Originally designed by world-renowned architect Eero Saarinen and opened in 1962, the TWA Flight Center was built for Trans World Airlines by Howard Hughes, epitomizing the glamour and optimism of the Jet Age. Designated a New York City landmark in 1994, the treasured 216,000-square-foot terminal has been reborn as the TWA Hotel in May 2019, referencing Saarinen’s work with contemporary design adopted for the modern traveler.
Stonehill Taylor, the interior designers for the hotel’s 512 guest rooms, Sunken Lounge, and other public spaces, restored the excitement for air travel by maximizing comfort. Sixties-inspired elements in the guest rooms include select Saarinen-designed Knoll furnishings, a martini bar, vintage rotary phone and gleaming terrazzo tiles in the bathroom. In many of the rooms, beds are positioned to let guests enjoy the rhythm of the runway or the glory of Saarinen’s TWA Flight Center. With the TWA Hotel offering stays for as few as four hours, their design approach to the guest rooms was mindful of the fact that guests might only stay long enough to change clothes, nap or take a quick shower.
