D6: Crescendo - Large Music AD Agency

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PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Crescendo is a large music advertising agency housed in a one story, masonry bearing wall, steel framed building. It is located in Northeast Philadelphia, PA. Crescendo is a full service advertising agency, a workplace that must balance organization and research with creativity. The firm is very concerned with the health of the natural environment and the workplace. It strives to utilize environmentally friendly media and promote overall preservation of the natural world. This includes an overall “green” design approach including the use of environmentally friendly products, reducing reliance on non-sustainable energy sources, reusing, recycling,water collection practices, geothermal heating/cooling technology, etc.

The agency advertises specifically for music including music companies, music festivals, music product promotions, musical products, instruments, and more.

SUSTAINABILITY:

In order to fulfill the sustainable goals needed for Crescendo, I incorporated several sustainable aspects. In order to assess wasted energy, lighting, and heating/cooling solutions have been utilized such as: geothermal pipe systems, daylight sensored and movement sensored lighting, skylights, roof solar paneling, and operable windows to decrease dependency on HVAC systems.

I also incorporated a rain garden and water cisterns to reuse water for things like utility sinks and plumbing systems. A green roof has been added to filter the sunlight and regulate temperature in the building. The original ceiling and trusses have been painted in a cream tone to bounce light around as well as repel heat in the summer. Utility spaces’ flooring are original concrete that has been polished, while other flooring is rapidly renewable mica. Additionally, all of the materials specified in Crescendo are sustainable and/or rapidly renewable.

SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES:

-Geothermal heating and cooling system

-Daylight sensored and movement sensored lighting

-Rain collection garden

-Water cisterns

-Local plantings

-Low VOC materials and finishes

-Operable Windows to decrease dependecy on HVAC

-Adaptive reuse building

-Rapidly renewable materials

-Green roof to filter heat and sunlight, regulate temperature

-Dual flush, low-flow toilets

CONCEPT:

My concept is based on the idea of reflection, specifically the reflection of an inkblot Rorschach Test. Reflected images are pasted on each side of the test with a central axis.

My space stems from a diagonal axis with two opposite-reflected ‘wings’ - the private offices v. the creative work areas. Two curved hallways frame the central axis and are unified with suspended metal and wood clouds. The private offices are completely closed off with dropped GWB ceilings and the work areas are completely open and divided with metal screens when needed. The private office wing houses its offices on the building’s perimeter and have at least one glass partition in each office in order to spread daylight.