See inside Comcast’s new ‘Technology Center’ in Philadelphia

By MixDex Article may include affiliate links

Comcast has been offering tours to the media of its new Comcast Technology Center skyscraper in downtown Philadelphia.

• The new building, which has been “topped out” but is not complete on the inside, will house offices for Comcast as well as studio and office space for parent company NBCUniversal’s O&Os WCAU, the market’s NBC affiliate and Telemundo station WWSI.
• Employees began moving into the building July, but not everyone is moved in yet.
• The design of the building features a unique “split core” design, according to Philly Magazine, that allows light to reach more workspaces than in a traditional building.
• The 60-story building, designed by lead architect Foster and Partners with Kendall/Heaton Associates serving as collaborating architect, is Comcast’s second building in Philadelphia.
• Comcast Center (note that “Technology” isn’t included in the name), was completed in 2008 and sits on the next block. The two buildings will eventually be connected by an underground concourse.
• The older Comcast Center features a 2,000 square foot LED video wall installation dubbed the “Comcast Experience” in the lobby that wraps around the openings to elevator banks.
• The new Comcast Technology Center building’s lobby, designed by Gensler, features a paradigm sculpture by Conrad Shawcross and nod to the Universal globe design, plus a digital art installation that projects words on the ceiling.
• Despite occupying over 1 million square feet in the old building, Comcast had  outgrew its space in the city — hence the construction of the new facility. Despite this, Comcast told Philly Magazine it has no plans for a third building in the city.
• Media were prohibited from taking photos during the “intimate” tours — but Comcast did release a selection of photos and renderings.

Other key points about the building:

• There are no enclosed offices in the Comcast work areas.
• All desks in the building are designed to switch between sitting and standing positions.
• There are no telephones in the building — everything is handled via Internet telephony technology.

• The interior also boasts flexible workspaces designed to inspire creativity, which were designed by Daroff Design + DDI Architects and Gensler.
• The building will also become home to the new Four Seasons hotel, though this build out is not complete.
• The building features a cafeteria space named after the company’s founder.