Editor’s Note: IMS Technology Services, LLC (IMS) has won the 2025 Commercial Integration Award for Best Large Venue Project for the Longwood Reimagined Project! Be sure to visit our official announcement page to see the full gallery of award-winning projects as they are revealed.)
Longwood Gardens, one of the world’s most celebrated botanical gardens, embarked on a landmark $250 million, multi-year construction initiative known as “Longwood Reimagined.” This ambitious project, spanning from Oct. 2021 to Nov. 2024, aimed to redefine the visitor experience across its expansive 1,100+ acre site. A critical component was the complete overhaul of its audiovisual infrastructure, presenting the challenge of integrating technology into a world-class conservatory complex and numerous other facilities without disrupting the natural aesthetic and demanding environmental conditions.
IMS Technology Services (IMS), the Garnet Valley, Penn.,-based, integration firm, was tasked with engineering and deploying sophisticated AV systems across approximately 30 diverse locations. The scope ranged from flexible classrooms and executive offices to public dining areas and the stunning new conservatory. With over 4,800 hours logged and more than 100,000 feet of cable installed, IMS delivered a future-ready AV ecosystem designed to support everything from hybrid learning and seamless video collaboration to immersive visual displays and complex zoned audio. IMS’s meticulous planning and expert integration provided elegant, powerful and discreet technology solutions that elevate Longwood Gardens’ mission for generations to come.
Key spaces across the property included:
• West Conservatory: an iconic 32,000-square-foot glass conservatory with a paging/audio system integrated with fountains and speakers mounted in an operable ceiling
• The Grove: classrooms, virtual and on-site studios, offices and meeting rooms
• The Potting Shed: executive offices, meeting rooms and workshop spaces
• 1906 Dining & Bar: Multi-zoned audio system with Bluetooth connectivity and fountain integration
• The Fountain Room: custom projector lifts, zoned audio and advanced content-sharing capabilities
• Beer Garden: outdoor displays and Brightsign players for menu boards
• Peirce-du Pont House: interactive touch display and sound system
IMS & Longwood Gardens Partnership
IMS began working with Longwood Gardens in 2017 on a small digital signage project. Over the years, the relationship grew through regular communication and successful execution across multiple initiatives. Through consistent communication, collaboration and reliable, successful execution on various initiatives over the years, led to a strong foundation of trust and partnership.
This history of proven performance was instrumental in future opportunities. When Longwood Gardens embarked on its “Reimagined” project, Mike Parisi, VP of IT, recommended that IMS be invited to bid on the extensive AV integration project. Presentations began in 2020, leading to IMS being awarded the contract in late 2021. The project culminated in 2024, with all systems commissioned in time for the Gardens’ highly anticipated holiday event, A Longwood Christmas.
Mastering Technology in a Living Building
Collaborating with engineering firm JB&B, IMS designed and deployed a unified AV ecosystem across more than 30 distinct spaces at Longwood Gardens. The project scope included state-of-the-art systems for classrooms, conference rooms and event spaces, all leading to the centerpiece of the expansion: the new West Conservatory.
Courtesy / IMS Technology Services, LLC
The West Conservatory posed a complex integration challenge. Described as a “living, breathing building,” its architecture features nearly 2,000 glass panels, automated windows, a dynamic shading system and geothermal climate controls. IMS engineered robust, environmentally resilient AV solutions that were carefully concealed to preserve the building’s unique aesthetic. The systems were built to perform reliably within this constantly shifting environment, ensuring seamless operation without compromising the architectural vision.
Key solutions included:
• Custom-fabricated projector lifts in the Fountain Room to fully conceal large-format displays into the custom arched ceiling
• Advanced AV/USB bridging and wireless gateways for plug-and-play use of local or BYOD systems
• Multi-zoned audio with pendant and ceiling-mounted speakers to maintain aesthetic harmony in high-design spaces
• Redundant DSP networks and Crestron controls for reliable, intuitive access via touch and scheduling panels
• Interactive digital signage, assistive listening technologies, PTZ cameras, projectors, displays full web conferencing in public and private zones.
• Carefully hidden AV to preserve visual integrity and aesthetics of spaces.
Seamless Integration for a Landmark Destination
Courtesy / IMS Technology Services, LLC
The three-year installation at Longwood Gardens required a deep partnership and meticulous coordination across historic, renovated and new construction. The IMS team worked in constant communication with Longwood’s IT department, project designers WEISS/MANFREDI and Reed Hilderbrand, general contractor Bancroft, and numerous trades to navigate the complex, evolving site.
From the outset, the project involved shifting timelines and a dynamic scope. IMS maintained a consistent onsite presence, with a dedicated systems engineer managing the 196-page drawing set to ensure every detail was captured and correctly integrated. A primary challenge was installing AV solutions that blended invisibly into the Gardens’ unique architectural environments. This was especially true in the West Conservatory, a glass-enclosed structure with automated windows, operable roofs and geothermal climate systems, demanding environmentally resilient and discreet technology.
Over 4,800 labor hours were invested to overcome significant hurdles, including:
- Aesthetic Integration: Concealing technology was paramount. This involved custom solutions like hiding microphones within tables and integrating large displays into curved, vaulted ceilings with intricate basket-weave patterns.
- Complex Coordination: Installation had to occur alongside active construction, delicate landscaping, and horticultural conservation work, requiring precise scheduling and flexibility.
- Architectural Challenges: Infrastructure was integrated within unique elements like expansive glass walls and asymmetrical rooflines, demanding creative mounting and cabling strategies.
- Operational Continuity: The team managed phased access to minimize disruption to guests in areas of the Gardens that remained open to the public.
- Condensed Timeline: The commissioning schedule was compressed from ten weeks to just four, a challenge amplified by unforeseen delays, including a site-wide closure due to a regional security event.
To maximize efficiency and quality control, all equipment racks were pre-built, teste and labeled at the IMS’ facility before delivery. This off-site preparation significantly reduced on-site installation time and streamlined the commissioning process. By handling all system programming in-house, the team ensured rapid quality assurance and troubleshooting. The result was a robust, future-ready AV experience delivered on schedule, perfectly complementing the beauty and mission of Longwood Gardens.
A Future-Ready Partnership for an Iconic Destination
Courtesy / IMS Technology Services, LLC
The Longwood Reimagined project successfully integrated state-of-the-art AV technology into one of the world’s most iconic botanical gardens. By implementing a modular, scalable design, IMS delivered a powerful and discreet AV ecosystem that supports Longwood’s immediate needs while providing a clear path for future growth and evolving programming. The addition of proactive Managed Services ensures the systems remain reliable and high performing, transforming technology from an operational task into a strategic asset.
The success of this complex integration is a testament to the strong partnership and collaborative spirit between all teams. This is reflected in the outcome and the client’s feedback.
“IMS was a true partner on the Longwood Reimagined Project,” said Michael Parisi, VP of IT at Longwood Gardens. “Their team understood our needs and delivered a seamless AV experience that’s intuitive, reliable, and beautifully integrated into our space. They were responsive, flexible, and always focused on getting it right.”
This seamless integration supports the project’s celebrated architectural vision, which has earned WEISS/MANFREDI numerous prestigious design awards. The result is a future-ready AV experience that enhances the beauty, mission and guest experience at Longwood Gardens for years to come.
Technology Manufactures/Providers Used
ADI, Alzo, AtlasIED, Audinate, Belden, Biamp, Blackmagic Design, Bose Professional, Bullet Train, C2G, Canon, Chief, Cisco, Clockaudio, Comprehensive, Crestron, Da-lite, DPA Microphones, Extron, FSR, Furman, Icron, Manfrotto, Mersive, Middle Atlantic Products, SHARP, NETGEAR, Panasonic, Polar Focus, Premier Mounts, Qsc, Radio Design Labs (RDL), Salamander, Samsung, Shure, Sony, Trendnet, United, Vaddio, Williams Sound, Windy City Wire, Wohler, Yamaha and more!
