Cornell students envision Ithaca airport as community hub

When was the last time you enjoyed being at an airport?

For many in Ithaca, that moment came April 11 when Ithaca Tompkins International Airport became a destination for art, music and community during "A Community Art Gala: Where Culture Takes Flight," hosted by the Cornell University Sustainable Design (CUSD) Sustainable Mobility team in partnership with MIX Art Gallery and the airport.

Instead of long lines and luggage checks, visitors experienced live performances, paintings and sculptures, vendors selling original art, information about Ithaca Bikeshare, and a scaled-down prototype of a smart bus shelter designed by the CUSD Sustainable Mobility team led by Sirietta Simoncini, lecturer in the Systems Engineering program.

The concept for the event began in Simoncini's annual course, Design Thinking for Complex Systems, which brings together students from across disciplines to apply systems engineering and design thinking methods to real-world challenges. In 2024, the course partnered with Ithaca Tompkins International Airport, giving students the opportunity to collaborate closely with airport leadership to explore ways to revitalize the terminal. Among the concepts generated by the students, the airport selected the idea of using its public spaces as a gateway linking the airport with the Ithaca community.

After the class concluded, students in Simoncini's CUSD Sustainable Mobility team continued the work, transforming the concept into a tangible project: "Optimization of Ithaca Tompkins International Airport's Facilities and Services," a broader effort led by Simoncini to improve accessibility and sustainability while enhancing the passenger experience at the airport. In the past two years, working with Wendy Gherity, owner of the Ithaca-based MIX Art Gallery, the Sustainable Mobility students coordinated an ever-evolving exhibition of original art throughout the airport.

During the community gala, art by Tia Eytina, Amy Hauer, Shawn Bridget Hull, Leslie Ihde, Yen Ospina, Shane Eversfield and Josh Parrott was featured throughout the terminal. Live performances included those by the Jesse Collins Trio, Cornell a cappella groups The Touchtones and Last Call, and dancer Shane Eversfield.

"The overarching goal of the event was to provide a positive and memorable experience that increased awareness of the airport as an international gateway," Simoncini said. "Another, and more important, goal was to bring Cornell and the community together under the same roof in a moment of sharing and mutual appreciation for what we all do for our local community."

Simoncini said transforming the airport into a community cultural hub also aligned with the Sustainable Airport Master Plan, which is now under revision.

"As a member of the Sustainability Advisory Committee tasked with providing guidance for updating the Master Plan, I saw the Gala as an opportunity to tackle two important goals: sustainability and community engagement," Simoncini said.

Expanding on the event's sustainability theme, Simoncini invited Ithaca Bikeshare, and the CUSD Sustainable Mobility team showcased its innovative modular smart bus shelter prototype, which includes real-time information systems such as color-changing LED lights to alert passengers about approaching busses.

Planners anticipate the gala will become a recurrent event.

Diane Tessaglia-Hymes is a communications specialist for Duffield Engineering.