NBC’s Olympic studios capture winter while providing modern venue for TV

Flexibility along the coast

NBCSN, which is broadcasting from the Gangneung Coastal Cluster of venues, operates out of a light and bright space backed by windows, part of a temporary structure housing multiple broadcasters.

This space is also located next door to the temporary “Today Show” pavilion.

For this smaller studio, which is on-air nearly around the clock, a more subtle triangular pattern was used, creating a glacier like effect. The space is also accented with intricate wooden screens with similar patterns as found in the dome’s panels and multiple standing desks to give a variety of flexibility throughout the coverage day.

A rooftop lodge

Creating sweeping views of the South Korean mountainscape, NBC’s winter lodge set is located on the roof of the IBC, creating a warmer, cozier feel with its traditional wood finishes and comfortable furniture.

Designing and building this space that is quite literally “outside the box” of the IBC or a traditional studio shape presented a unique set of challenges for Higgason, NBC and scenic fabricator blackwalnut.

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In fact, the whole concept of placing a studio on the roof of the IBC required a leap of faith — the set was already built by the time final architectural drawings of the building were available. Scenery was lifted up the five stories using a crane — but here again, Mother Nature played a big role: The team wasn’t able to use the crane for an entire day due to high winds.

The wintery climate also played a huge role in the installation process, especially considering the outer walls of the studio space were only partially completed when the set was installed, meaning there was no heat and only temporary windows in what can be a harsh winter climate.

“The team did an amazing job overcoming these obstacles,” said Higgason.

NBC’s fourth studio is a smaller, multipurpose space used across NBCUniversal properties featuring a triangular framework and backlit surfaces inspired by Studio A with an elongated hexagonal cutout for a video panel to peek through — making the space easy to change out no matter what story is being covered or what brand is using it.