PhRMA’s new studio makes creative use of space in historic building

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies. Its mission is to conduct effective advocacy for public policies that encourage discovery of important new medicines for patients by pharmaceutical/ biotechnology research companies.

To assist with the dissemination of its message, the company hired systems integrator Communications Engineering Inc. (CEI) to provide a turnkey design and integration solution for a new studio, control room, fi eld production and edit systems.

However, the company’s headquarters presented signifi cant challenges to designing and building the facility. The association is located in a historic building in downtown Washington, DC. Space was limited, and preservation guidelines allowed only minimal alterations. The entire project area consisted of a 220sq ft room for editing, production control and all support equipment, and for a 525sq-ft studio in an adjacent room.

The studio lighting systems were designed for a grid height of only 9’6”. Additionally, fi ve portable/desktop Apple Final Cut Pro nonlinear edit systems were installed. Due to space requirements, the facility also had to be capable of being operated by a small staff.

The design maximized the available space while still providing all the required features. The facility has full bandwidth connectivity to Verizon’s Audio Visual Operations Center (AVOC). It provides instant access to all major networks, major media plants, Capital Hill and several commercial teleports. PhRMA can instantly respond to any event that affects the companies it represents.

A single control room accommodates traditional studio productions and nonlinear editing. The innovative layout and design allows high-quality production that usually requires two to three times more space. The Evertz VIP multi-input display processor allows easy reconfi guration between studio production functions and editing.

The studio and control environments are fully integrated into the facility’s Video Teleconferencing (VTC) systems. The integration includes full IP control and return routing to studio monitors. Multiple current and legacy VTR formats are supported, and DVD authoring capabilities allow another means of connecting with the audience.

By combining dynamic design work with leading-edge technology, CEI and PhRMA were able to create a comprehensive facility that helps the company fulfi ll its mission while still maintaining the integrity of its historic environment.