Architectural firm assists in design of new 80,000 SF location
Meridian Design Associates Architects, P.C, (www.meridiandesign.com), an award-winning architecture and design firm headquartered in New York, with satellite offices in Miami, Florida, today announced the completion of NBCU News Group Washington Bureau. The firm assisted in the fit-out of the 7th and 8th floors as part of NBC News’ new location for its Washington operations.
The project involved the renovation of the location’s significant spaces, including the existing 8th-floor studios and control/edit rooms, and an added 7th-floor studio consisting of open flash cam areas, assignment desk and newsroom environment, plus a variety of meeting areas and offices. Meridian’s services included coordination of all Knoll Office furniture and consoles with a focus on integrating NBCU News Groups’ brand art and vision in its newsroom, meeting areas, and crew lounge.
Meridian Senior Associate Carlos Young notes, “Relocating media clients and their technical operations always presents unique challenges, but more so for this project, as we were moving NBC News from their Nebraska Avenue location, where they’ve been for 60 years, to a location that puts them near Capitol Hill.”
Design challenges met
One of the key design requirements was to create a work environment centered around the assignment desks, where news first breaks. This ensures that information is easily accessible to all individuals who make up the news gathering team. “By using 120-degree workstations for the assignment desks, we created a hub that has a 360-degree view of the new workplace with its full-height intake video wall, a new glass studio, various flash camera locations, and views of The United States Capitol,” says Young. A combination of open and closed collaborative areas were included throughout the plan to provide everyone with flexible workspaces. Meridian worked closely with NBCU News Group leadership to assure that the right adjacencies and requirements were satisfied for each group.
One of the most challenging aspects of the project was the low ceiling heights, and overlaying the infrastructure required to support the networks’ 24-hour news operation and accompanying technical requirements. “We were able to address this throughout the design process through the integration of 3D modeling coupled with our extensive knowledge of building systems,” notes Young.
On-time delivery, despite setbacks
Meridian joined the project in July of 2018, establishing an aggressive but manageable schedule with the network and their project managers. According to Meridian Managing Principal Antonio Argibay, AIA, LEED AP, “Although we were at the end of construction when COVID hit in February 2020, the project was still completed under tight on-air deadlines, on-time, and within the established budget.”
About Meridian Design Associates
Founded in 1981 by Managing Principal Antonio Argibay, AIA, Meridian Design Associates Architects, P.C. is an award-winning global company headquartered in New York City, with offices in Miami, Florida and Sevilla, Spain. The firm’s portfolio of work runs the gamut from commercial interiors to retail, residential and healthcare. Meridian Design Associates offers an array of design-related services to a broad range of clients in the United States and around the world. Members of the firm are committed to providing elegant and inspiring design solutions in a practical and efficient fashion.
