![Soggiornare in aeroporto. Il TWA Hotel di New York](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Wind-beneath-her-wings-The-TWA-Hotel’s-1958-Lockheed-Constellation-“Connie”-airplane-has-been-transformed-into-a-cocktail-lounge.-Photo-credits-TWA-Hotel-–-David-Mitchell-1024x653.jpg)
Vivere nell’epoca dei voli low cost, prenotabili via smartphone e democraticamente accessibili, ha i suoi indubbi vantaggi. Per i più giovani o per i cuori nostalgici, l’inesorabile rovescio della medaglia potrebbe però essere rappresentato dall’impossibilità di vivere, in prima persona, la cosiddetta Jet Age, segnata dal vigore del settore aeronautico e dall’avvento di collegamenti più frequenti e veloci tra le principali destinazioni internazionali. Allora sì che il volo possedeva ancora i connotati di un’esperienza, per molti versi, memorabile! Nell’impossibilità di riavvolgere il tempo, dal 15 maggio si può almeno provare a “risintonizzarsi” sulle atmosfere degli Anni Sessanta in un luogo legato proprio a quella fase storica: il TWA Hotel.
Inaugurata dopo un restyling durato sedici anni, la struttura alberghiera è stata realizzata nel terminal dell’aeroporto JFK di New York progettato da Eero Saarinen per la compagnia Trans World Airlines. In disuso dal 2001 e iscritto nel National Register of Historic Places dal 2005, l’edificio è tornato in vita con una funzione coerente alla sua vocazione, non senza uno slancio autocelebrativo. Sotto il sottile guscio autoportante della copertura, evocativo delle ali di un uccello e concepito in continuità con l’identità aziendale di TWA, gli ospiti possono scegliere di soggiornare – anche per poche ore, il tempo di un transito – in una delle 512 stanze a disposizione. Dalla hall – che in passato fu l’ingresso del terminal – alle camere da letto, l’intervento messo a punto dal team formato da Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners, Lubrano Ciavarra Architects e Stonehill Taylor riporta in vita il glamour dell’epoca, combinandolo a servizi da far invidia anche ai divi del jet set, giusto per restare in tema.
![The Sunken Lounge at the TWA Hotel boasts a split flap departures board by Solari di Udine — and a view of the hotel’s restored 1958 Lockheed Constellation “Connie”. Photo credits TWA Hotel – David Mitchell](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/THESUN1.jpg)
The Sunken Lounge at the TWA Hotel boasts a split flap departures board by Solari di Udine — and a view of the hotel’s restored 1958 Lockheed Constellation “Connie”. Photo credits TWA Hotel – David Mitchell
I SERVIZI DEL TWA HOTEL
Se dopo un po’ di relax sull’iconica Womb Chair, progettata sempre da Saarinen e prodotta da Knoll, proprio come il tavolino evergreen Tulip, anch’esso compreso tra gli arredi dell’hotel, dovesse venirvi voglia di una pausa gourmet, potrete scegliere tra gli otto bar e i ristoranti: dall’Intelligentsia Coffee, con un caffè preparato dai barista champions statunitensi, al Paris Café, guidato dello chef di fama internazionale Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Immancabili le proposte wellness e fitness, con la piscina a sfioro panoramica, adiacente alla piattaforma di osservazione della pista aeroportuale, e con la più grande palestra al mondo allestita in un hotel. Dopo un passaggio all’area shopping e una lettura nella reading room, allestita dall’editore Phaidon e dall’azienda di mobili Herman Miller, sanate tutte le vostre curiosità sulla storia della TWA – e sul passato dell’aviazione civile – nel museo interno all’hotel. L’esposizione riunisce oltre 2mila pezzi, tra poster vintage, uniformi di hostess e steward, giochi per l’intrattenimento dei piccoli viaggiatori, in parte donati dagli ex dipendenti. E, già che ci siete, non dimenticate un selfie sotto il magnifico teleindicatore a palette che fu progettato dalla storica azienda Solari di Udine.
‒ Valentina Silvestrini
Articolo pubblicato su Artribune Magazine #51
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