Product Description:
Capital One, Inc. Auditorium and Lecture Hall
A Leading Financial Institution
Text written by Architect Mancini Duffy.
Capital One's newly designed auditorium includes the latest in technology and design, dedicated to encompass a variety of functions, including corporate training, annual meetings, education and corporate functions.
Surprisingly, given its size and strength—not to mention the widespread brand recognition earned by its witty “What's in Your Wallet?” ad campaign—Capital One is only eleven years old. In that time, it has developed a very distinctive image and corporate culture: a combination of informality and warmth with the sophistication and conservatism appropriate in financial services, of high-tech with “high touch” and collegiality.
Unfortunately, the headquarters building (just five years old) neither expressed nor facilitated that image and character. So, when Capital One made the decision to build a new auditorium it became clear that the existing conference center in the main headquarters building would need to be rethought and redesigned in order to create a symbiotic relationship among the parts.
From the outside, the new 43,500-square-foot addition is the first structure that greets arriving visitors, making it the most prominent structure and a strong announcement of the character of the company. The building's distinctive curvilinear form anticipates the auditorium function, while its double-skinned glass rain screen, lit from behind, makes it a beacon conveying both welcome and energy. Inside, the two-tiered 450-seat lecture hall was designed for multiple functions. Though it has the formality appropriate to large corporate gatherings and serious learning experiences, the materials and detailing emphasize the human scale.
The seating was a very important component in the auditorium. The lecture hall needed to hold a maximum of 450 people but have the flexibility to transform into a smaller venue. A theatrical scrim, made to appear opaque by the use of lighting, was used to reduce the seating
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