North American International Auto Show Visitors See Major Renovations at Cobo Center; Designed by the World Leader in Convention Centers, tvsdesign

ATLANTA, Jan. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Visitors to next week's North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) will see major renovations at the show's home, the Cobo Center, designed by the world leader in convention centers, tvsdesign.  The new design significantly revitalizes the facility for the NAIAS and other upcoming events, incorporating visible and behind-the-scenes elements. The upgrades restore prominence to Cobo, celebrating Detroit's history and renewed future while making it more attractive and marketable to prospective clients.

Highlights:

• Light-filled Atrium features a dramatic new view of the Detroit River and Canada. That river perspective will carry through the renovation of Cobo's arena, ballroom and meeting room wing.
• Design preserves elements of the existing building, removing the arena seating and creating new floorplates for meeting, banquet and exhibition spaces.
• Functionality and marketability have been increased by upgrading spaces and incorporating state-of-the-art technology -- including an expansive video wall.

tvsdesign is the lead designer for the Cobo renovation.  A world leader in convention center design, the firm has designed more than 60 exhibition and convention centers around the world, including the latest expansions at four of the five largest in the United States and three of the most prominent in China.

Cobo Center Details:

• Renovation to be completed in multiple phases while facility remains in operation
• Functionality and marketability has been increased by upgrading spaces and incorporating state-of-the-art technology
  • Incorporating "adaptive reuse" strategies, existing arena has become a new 40,000 s.f. ballroom
  • More show space (an additional 25,000 s.f. added to Oakland Hall)
  • A new riverfront atrium adds 30,000 s.f. of new circulation space, currently used by the auto show for presentations and exhibits.
  • Giant animated display video wall welcomes visitors at the main entrance
  • Strong audio/visual theatrical capabilities increase the capabilities for presentations and marketing at special events
  • New 4000 s.f. state-of-the-art in-house production studio has been added to accommodate cars and other elements on the studio floor
• Sustainable initiatives reduce energy and operating costs

tvsdesign Convention Center Work Includes:

• U.S. Projects:  McCormick Place (Chicago), Georgia World Congress Center (Atlanta), Music City Convention Center (Nashville); Orange County Convention Center (Orlando), Long Beach (Calif.) Convention & Entertainment Center, Washington Convention Center (Washington, D.C.), Pennsylvania Convention Center (Philadelphia, PA).
• International Projects:  China International Exhibition Center (Beijing), Tianjin Meijiang Convention Center (Tianjin, China), Nanjing International Expo Center (Nanjing, China), Ningxia Conference Center (Yinchuan, China), Puerto Rico Convention Center (San Juan, PR)

Cobo Associated Architects:  Albert Kahn Associates, SDG Associates, Rosetti

About tvsdesign
tvsdesign is a global design firm whose award-winning solutions reflect more than 40 years of experience in planning, architecture and interior design. With offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dubai and Shanghai, the firm's passions for design excellence, sustainability and collaboration produce client-driven results. With projects around the globe, tvsdesign is recognized for its work including convention and public assembly, cultural arts, retail, office, education, government, hospitality, workplace, showroom and mixed-use projects. The sustainable design experience of the tvsdesign studios encompasses 23 LEED Certified and 16 LEED registered projects. In 2002, tvsdesign was awarded the prestigious American Institute of Architects Firm Award.www.tvsdesign.com

SOURCE tvsdesign