Port Authority and Arup announce team to deliver art, branding, and digital experience program for JFK's New Terminal One

As an all-international terminal, NTO is a key component of the Port Authority’s $19 billion transformation of JFK International Airport into a world-class global gateway that will include two new terminals, two expanded and modernized terminals and an entirely new, efficient roadway network when complete. The Arup-led team has envisioned an enhanced passenger experience for travelers who will use NTO at every step of their journey by creating an atmosphere that feels uniquely New York.

Arup has assembled a group of best-in-class designers and curators known collectively as the XD team, comprising 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. 

With the goal of evoking a powerful sense of place that is distinctly New York, the team is weaving together a compelling locally inspired and universally inspiring story told throughout the passenger journey. The carefully curated environment will include elements like dynamic digital signage, art installations, and a cohesive brand identity under the umbrella of JFK’s overall branding guidelines.

“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 Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “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,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “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,” said Dr. Gerrard P. Bushell, the president and CEO of NTO. “The New Terminal One’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 New Terminal One, 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.

“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," said Eddie Opara, a partner at Pentagram.

“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,” said Yvonne Force Villareal and Doreen Remen, founding partners of Culture Corps.

This program is tied into the lifeblood of the new terminal’s design. 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’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, offering 23 gates and more than 300,000 square feet of retail, dining and lounge space over a total footprint of 2.4 million square feet.