KOAT-tV

ALBUQUERQUE, NM

The KOAT building, a subsidiary of Hearst, designed by Antoine Predock in 1979, sits at the intersection of Carlisle Avenue and Comanche Road. Originally, the building was designed to accommodate the production of news using film, necessitating dark and segmented spaces to preserve film quality. With the evolution of technology and the shift to digital news production, the requirements for the building have changed.  News is now created digitally, and the people working with digital collateral materials require light-filled and collaborative spaces.

McClain + Yu is tasked with transforming the building to emphasize light, offer visual transparency in the news-making process, and represent the new era of news production and visitors. The Newsroom in particular will play a vital role in showcasing the importance of transparency, efficiency, and high synthesis needed for producing complex news stories in the present day.

The news team is highly technical and is in need to communicate with each other constantly throughout the news cycle. Thus, the newsroom requires some fine-tuning of seating and access.  The space requires variability and reconfigurability to accommodate the needs of the KOAT team throughout the day.

The aim is to guide the conceptual representation of the building into the new era of news-making, reflecting the identity of KOAT. Modernizing the space is essential to meet the current and future needs of newsmakers, instilling a sense of ownership and pride among the team, and assuring the public that their news source is up-to-date with technology.