Creating a Scalable Broadcast Studio Model for Nationwide Deployment
Accenture set out to create a network of high-performance broadcast studios across the country, beginning with a flagship location in Chicago. The goal was clear: develop a repeatable, technically rigorous studio model that could be deployed efficiently from city to city while maintaining consistent quality, flexibility, and brand alignment. Each site would need to accommodate evolving production needs, integrate seamlessly within existing office environments, and support professional-grade recording in a compact footprint.
The Chicago studio became the proving ground. Located within a dense workplace setting with limited ceiling heights and adjacent occupied spaces, the project required thoughtful coordination across architecture, acoustics, mechanical, and electrical systems. From the outset, HED approached the work through an integrated design process, bringing together Accenture’s Broadcast and Equipment Integration Teams alongside our architects and engineers to align technical requirements and performance standards early.
Central to this effort was the development of a flexible “Kit of Parts.” Using advanced 3D modeling and BIM workflows, our team digitally constructed the studio environment to test spatial configurations, equipment clearances, acoustical assemblies, and infrastructure pathways in real time. We created a comprehensive program library that documented space components, acoustical criteria, electrical and mechanical requirements, and the interstitial zones necessary to support lighting grids, rigging, cabling, and control systems. This virtual prototype became the template for efficient replication, streamlining implementation for subsequent studios in San Francisco and New York.
In Chicago, the compact office context demanded inventive acoustic strategies. With low ceiling heights and neighboring work areas, the studio required high levels of sound isolation without sacrificing valuable volume. Through coordinated detailing and careful integration of structural, mechanical, and acoustical systems, the team achieved the necessary separation while preserving a clean, professional interior environment suited to high-definition production.
The resulting green screen studio supports a range of broadcast formats. Flexible curtain systems allow the space to adapt quickly from fully immersive green screen recording to branded backdrops. The layout accommodates both seated and standing presenters and supports a live audience of 15 to 20, creating an environment that feels both intimate and production-ready. Lighting, power, and control systems are organized with precision, allowing seamless transitions between recording modes.
As the first in a nationwide rollout, the Chicago studio established a smart, repeatable model for Accenture’s broadcast environments. By digitally prototyping the design and aligning disciplines from the beginning, HED reduced uncertainty, accelerated decision-making, and positioned the program for efficient expansion. The result is more than a single studio. It is a scalable broadcast platform, designed with clarity, flexibility, and technical rigor at its core.