A Clear Path
BBB’s restoration followed the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, and designers leveraged as-built record drawings dating back to 1964. “We always begin historic projects with preservation mapping to identify three classifications of the space: restoration, rehabilitation and reinvention,” Southwick explains. “The center had three very significant spaces that were critical to restore to Saarinen’s original design intent—the upper lobby; lower lobby; and the Ambassador Club, TWA’s first-class lounge located on the mezzanine.”
An original sunken lounge had been previously removed to make way for a series of check-in areas. “The sunken lounge was a character-defining feature of the space so we restored it back to its original plan, reconstructing everything but the ashtrays,” Southwick says.
Interior elements also tell stories from the center’s past. “Saarinen was friends with notable artists and designers who became involved in the project,” Southwick says. “Charles Eames designed much of the built-in furniture, which was still mostly intact but in poor condition. We had the furniture restored and recreated one of the missing seating groups in the Ambassador Lounge.”
Florence Knoll was a good friend of Saarinen’s and she custom-designed many of the center’s fabrics, so BBB had Knoll redesign the fabrics. “Isamu Noguchi’s sculptural water fountain was the centerpiece of the Ambassador Club, and I believe it was still operational until the center closed in 2002,” Southwick adds. “We had the fountain fully restored.”
The team recreated the center’s characteristic chili-pepper red carpet and upholstery. Ceramic penny tiles that cover the curved floor and wall surfaces were restored, and 20 million new tiles that resemble the original were manufactured for repair or replacement where needed.
New Horizons
Constructed to the NYC 1938 building code, the center had contemporary compliance issues. BBB modified the building to meet current code using areas that had no architectural integrity, either because they had been changed in the past or were back-of-house.
For example, there was a strong push from the reviewing agency to add fire system sprinklers but noticeable piping would destroy the space’s historic visual integrity. As a result, an exhaustive two-year process ultimately produced many safety plans that mitigate potential life-safety issues.
Typical of mid-century architecture, the building is composed of concrete and glass. Kitchens and food service required proper exhaust and services. Through extensive field surveying, the team verified construction was a thin concrete slab with 17-inch-deep concrete ribs placed 1 foot on-center. Mechanical ducts were precisely sized to ensure they fit carefully within the ribs.
The center is a split-level building that contained a full cascading stair from one end of the lobby to the other. Unfortunately, the steps were not ADA-compliant. BBB carved through some of the “reinvention”- classified spaces to create two large ramps for universal access to the upper lobby.
Given its distinctive architecture and angled walls, the windows in the center are uniquely shaped glass panes—some spanning 5 by 7 feet. Made of green-tinted, polished plate glass, some windows had failed over time. Glazing replacements include 486 lites made from green-tinted, tempered glass for safety. The team also replaced the center’s failed skylights.
To hold the windows in place, Saarinen used zipper gaskets, just like those on an automobile. The team returned to the same company that produced the gaskets for Saarinen and procured new extrusions for the restoration.
But the new hotel buildings’ windows are a world away by comparison. “We designed a very special curtainwall for sound protection,” Southwick says. “It’s a 4 1/2-inch-thick, triple-insulated assembly with seven layers of glass. Planes taking off on nearby runways are almost perfectly inaudible in the guestrooms. It’s one of the most soundproof installations in the world.”
Photos: DAVID MITCHELL, COURTESY OF TWA HOTEL