5. International Arrivals Building Terminal 4

IAB Terminal-International Arrivals Building-Skidmore Owings and Merrill-JFK Airport-NYC
Photo via Wikimedia Commons by Jon Proctor

The International Arrivals Building (IAB) was the first new project when Idlewild Airport was renamed John F. Kennedy Airport. Designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM) it was considered cutting edge, particularly for its “finger piers,” that sat at right angles to the terminal and allowed more airplanes to be parked at the same time. The terminal also had an observation deck. The building opened in 1957 and was demolished to make way for the new IAB Terminal, also designed by SOM, which opened in 2001.