In 2008 VMA completed the comprehensive relaunch of the ORF Newsroom “phases 2″. The 360 degree multi-faceted studio space accomodates both ORF1 and ORF2 News and Information programming. Begun in 2007 as part of the new program reform within the Information News Department the first phase comprised of a simultaneous transformation from the existing 2003 award winning VMA design into the new world of video wall information screens encompassing the perimeter of the studio and adding variable flexibility to the future program content and presentation.

ORF Newsroom Studio: ©ORF Fotografie

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European Football Championship 2008

The Urban Media Tower for ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation) was a central urban feature for the four week activities surrounding the EM_2008 in Vienna, Austria. Strategically located adjacent to the Burgtheater the 17.5 meter multi-purpose temporary building incorporated a 60m² TV Studio, outdoor terrace, offices, technical spaces and three integrated LED video screens for live broadcast. Due to the planned five day construction phase and positioning upon the tram line tracks special consideration and intensive planning was necessary in reference to erecting the main modular structural frame, external aluminium cladding, and lighting/acoustic constraints in broadcast media.

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VMA was inspired by the three dimensional opaque composite material for the new studio magazine format Wie Bitte for ORF as part of the new program reform of 2007. Parellel to the re-launch of the ORF Newsroom and the re-location of the ORF magazine formats, VMA developed a multifunctional media space to provide various moderation positions with embedded video monitors for supporting graphics and information. The backlit perimeter wall fluctuated in color to accentuate the spatial atmosphere in relation to the program content.

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VMA has been the lead studio design consultant for ORF political programs including the National Elections since 1993. The modular studio with variable elements enhanced a four week pre-election discussion  and a larger election day coverage in the main television studio with all day coverage and a variety of program elements requiring multiple presenter positions and camera movements.

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VMA was presented the Adolf Loos Staatspreis Gold Award 2002; Eyes and Ears Europe Gold Award 2002; and PROMAX Europe Silver Award 2003 for the ORF Newsroom Studio Architecture.

The Newsroom started on-air on May 2, 2002 with 7 daily news programs (approx. 2 millions daily viewers) and 3 pre-recorded information programs per week. 4 further live magazines of 50 minutes per week started in October 2002. The 356m2 circular 360 degree studio plan focusses upon the central element – the ‚newsdesk‘ – which is rotating to 5 different positions throughout the daily on-air cycle with translucent sliding walls  framing and masking the individual ’sets’ and providing a soft transition between the moderator and the background layer. The secondary areas located adjacent to the central ‚newsdesk‘ add flexible spaces for weather reports (bluebox), studio discussions, promotion spots, breaking news reports, and smaller format news coverage and 5 weekly news magazine programs. Flatscreen monitors used for live correspondent reports and graphic information are mounted on tracks revolving around the studio to further enhance the studio flexiblility.

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VMA designed the studio for Kunststuecke – an avantgarde program of contemporary art and culture – as an abstract three dimensional space with virtual borders where surface edges/contours fade in and out amidst the extreme whiteness of the studio space. Suspended translucent and transparent plexiglass objects provide a hint of a spatial reference as the camera slowly moves and the foreground/background objects dissapear and blend together leaving the presenter as the central focus of the environment.

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Veech Media Architecture (VMA) has completed a comprehensive redesign of the technical production suites and On-Air studios at Hitradio Ö3 in Vienna.

Oe3 Studio 3d Perspective

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