Manifold Recording - Studio Construction Thread

[xaMdaM]

The framing looks a little tedious, but not that complex. You shoulda' been here when we put my rafters in the tracking room... ooof! Remind me sometime, and I'll send you some pix of THAT insanity.

Your framers are doing a nice job though!

Just curious about your lighting and dimming... You going with dimmers or variacs? Also, for video lighting, are you going to put in high energy lamps as permanent installation, or will you just bring it in as needed?

I sure hope Andy gets your rough-in's done soon... I need him here so I can get my mess done... otherwise you WILL be open a lot sooner than I will. Which, at the rate I feel like I'm moving forward, it wouldn't surprise me either...

[Clueless]

Originally Posted by xaMdaM

Just curious about your lighting and dimming... You going with dimmers or variacs?

Dimmers in the Annex, Variacs in the main studio.

Also, for video lighting, are you going to put in high energy lamps as permanent installation, or will you just bring it in as needed?

Permanent installation on lighting rails. I'm looking at either Elation Design Spot 250s (older, and now nicely priced) or 300s (newer, more feature-full, frightfully expensive).

[xaMdaM]

Originally Posted by Clueless

Dimmers in the Annex, Variacs in the main studio.

Permanent installation on lighting rails. I'm looking at either Elation Design Spot 250s (older, and now nicely priced) or 300s (newer, more feature-full, frightfully expensive).

Of course we're at two slightly different levels ... but I'm using Lightolier filtered dimmers throughout. Since I doubt I'll do a LOT of video, I'm just providing circuits for high energy lighting...

I've been "guaranteed" the dimmers will NOT introduce any RF noise... If they don't, I will have 4) 20 amp variac's that will be on the market, if you're interested... "VERY nicely priced", too!

The Elation's, huh? Thought about Martin Mac 250's? They're in that same "nicely priced" market. I would think there's more local tech's that can work on the Martin than the Elation... but the Elation's look to be a decent box.

Just my $.02

[mashuga]

I've been told that the 4" ledges that we plan to expose around all the windows is going to be a preferred nesting place for birds.

So... I don't see the laser turrets to take care of that anywhere on the plans??

[Clueless]

Another weekly blog posting is up.

Here's a photo, not on the blog, to give you an idea of what's been happening:



And another, to show some progress on the framing:



All the best!

[Jaques Beraques]

I pray for you, that there will be no rain!!!!!!

[Clueless]

Originally Posted by Jaques Beraques

I pray for you, that there will be no rain!!!!!!

It must be working! Monday and Tuesday look to be beautiful days. Wednesday is forecast for rain. We'll see how far things progress by Tuesday evening...

[mappee]

Spacious!

[Clueless]

A few quick progress photos...

The masonry for the control room wall gains one of its last two courses. It's taller in the middle because of the way the roof slopes:



A view of the WSW elevation:



Symmetry and dimunition playing nicely together:

[peat]

the roof looks amazing!

seriously, wow

[Jaques Beraques]

It reminds me of an Fortress

Amazing.....

[mashuga]

The control room looks huge when viewed from the live room..

That's a BIG window, too...

[matskull]

The live room looks a little bit small to me...

Just kidding it seems awesome, you must be pretty eager to track some stuff in that space!

[Clueless]

Originally Posted by mashuga

The control room looks huge when viewed from the live room..

That's a BIG window, too...

14 feet wide at the front...8 feet wide at the rear. In the photo you're only seeing half the depth of the window itself. The rest of the depth will be established when the control room is framed.

[Clueless]

The annex is now getting some construction love. The technical wiring conduits will be the lowest level of the construction--several feet below the foundation level (and not unlike a ship's keel, which extends well below the waterline). Here you can see what will be some of the conduit emergence points in the concrete slab for the audio monitors (leftmost) digital audio console (middle), the video control console (rightmost):



And speaking of technical wiring spaces, we're seeing continued progress on the audio eQuipment Room, now up to the fourth course:

[matskull]

Originally Posted by Clueless

The annex is now getting some construction love. The technical wiring conduits will be the lowest level of the construction--several feet below the foundation level (and not unlike a ship's keel, which extends well below the waterline). Here you can see what will be some of the conduit emergence points in the concrete slab for the audio monitors (leftmost) digital audio console (middle), the video control console (rightmost):



And speaking of technical wiring spaces, we're seeing continued progress on the audio eQuipment Room, now up to the fourth course:

How many more buildings will there be?!?
that's crazy, I'm sure it's a hell of a dream come true.

[andsonic]

Now that the roof is (sorta) on, the color of the blocks is more apparent. I like the nice cream color. Are you intending to go with that color?

[Clueless]

Originally Posted by andsonic

Now that the roof is (sorta) on, the color of the blocks is more apparent. I like the nice cream color. Are you intending to go with that color?

I'm glad you like it! The architectural blocks are finished surfaces, so those walls are "done". Of course they will be cleaned one more time before the facility is opened.

[Clueless]

A little more progress to report...

We have submitted engineering drawings for the "bent steel" that will support the roof over the control room. And we have calculated the details for all the birds mouths that need to be cut for both the roof over the booths and the roof over the control room. Some day, and it wasn't this past week, the framing crew is going to be really busy framing two more roofs.

But the masons keep coming in day after day, and their progress continues to be visible:

The framing for the bond beam across the door to Sound Lock 2 has been built and fitted. Here's a closeup of the measurements:



And here it is in context:



We took some tape off a glass block to see how it behaved. Here's the view from the inside looking out:



and the outside looking in:



And the walls for the Utility room are almost up. Here's the outside (10th course):



and the inside of that same wall, being built as a single solid bonded wall 10" thick:

[HananR]

looks terrific!

[mashuga]

While out walking recently, I noticed a cement brick wall where the outward facing surface of the blocks had a broken appearance. Another way to describe it would be if turned upright, the effect would be that of a small mountain range.. They looked quite random and I don't think they were molded with that surface, but that it was formed after they were set by hammering away material or something...

What I am getting at is, would a wall made of that type of surface have a strong diffusive affect?..

[Clueless]

Originally Posted by mashuga

While out walking recently, I noticed a cement brick wall where the outward facing surface of the blocks had a broken appearance. Another way to describe it would be if turned upright, the effect would be that of a small mountain range.. They looked quite random and I don't think they were molded with that surface, but that it was formed after they were set by hammering away material or something...

You are talking about a split-face block.

What I am getting at is, would a wall made of that type of surface have a strong diffusive affect?..

Definitely not strong. The rule of an optimized QRD is that it can diffuse wavelenghts that are approximately 4x the well depth. WIth a well depth of 8" an optimized QRD can diffuse down to 425Hz. I estimate that a split-face block has a well depth of 3/8", so if it were an optimized QRD, which it is not, it could diffuse down to 9kHz. Non-QRD diffusors can only do half as good, meaning unremarkable diffusion below 18kHz...not exactly useful.

[mrlouie]

nice

[peat]

gagging for an update

seriously, pretty much since the inception of your project (well this thread) whenever I load up the internet whether at work, at home, anywhere, the first thing I do is come straight to this thread.

its a slight addiction!

[ryancork]

Originally Posted by peat

gagging for an update

seriously, pretty much since the inception of your project (well this thread) whenever I load up the internet whether at work, at home, anywhere, the first thing I do is come straight to this thread.

its a slight addiction!

+1,000

[Clueless]

Originally Posted by peat

gagging for an update

seriously, pretty much since the inception of your project (well this thread) whenever I load up the internet whether at work, at home, anywhere, the first thing I do is come straight to this thread.

its a slight addiction!

I share your pain. I'm actually traveling right now and cannot provide photographic updates. But I can say this: the contractor has called for new detailed drawings for the Annex masonry walls, and I would not be surprised to see progress on the Annex walls by the time I return.

In the mean time, I would like to share this experience from my travels in Paris yesterday...

I visited the Couleurs et Lumière exhibition at the Musée du Luxembourg and it was beyond all expectation. I have long loved and admired Tiffany's art work (I grew up in Manhattan and visited frequently the Metropolitan Museum of Art to admire, among other things, the gorgeous Autumn Landscape, among other masterpieces, so I am familiar with the effects of genius:



But I was entirely unprepared for the equally stunning effect of much smaller objects, including a table lamp done with translucent blue-aqua glass and what appeared to be a cascade of blue-aqua mosaic pieces streaming down like tears. Its beauty, balance, and absolute originality were arresting. A wave of emotion came over me as I considered at once both the artistic triumph of the piece and the thought of how many lamps fail to even attempt such a statement, let alone ever achieve it. What an inspiration!

[PlanB]

First of all, great project! I am actually in the architectural phase of a similar model (3 octacons with annexes in between, 1 audio, 1 video, 1 VFX stage) and also self sufficient with wind and solar power.

The reason for replying is though, if you love Tiffany's work, you should also check Mark Chagall and his work.
Also, when in Luxembourg, try to find a day off, make a side trip to Cologne, Germany (about 2 h drive) and visit the Dom (cathedral) for some awe-inspiring glasswork.

[Clueless]

Originally Posted by PlanB

First of all, great project! I am actually in the architectural phase of a similar model (3 octacons with annexes in between, 1 audio, 1 video, 1 VFX stage) and also self sufficient with wind and solar power.

Wow! Did you take any inspiration from Alvernia Studios? They have the most amazing floorplan I think I've ever seen.

The reason for replying is though, if you love Tiffany's work, you should also check Mark Chagall and his work.

I love Marc Chagall's work! Before the whole financial crisis hit I was wandering around in downtown San Francisco and found an art gallery that was selling a number of his works. I enquired as to the price, and the least expensive was more than the budget for my studio! So much for that decorative theme...

Also, when in Luxembourg, try to find a day off, make a side trip to Cologne, Germany (about 2 h drive) and visit the Dom (cathedral) for some awe-inspiring glasswork.

I've always wanted to visit the Dom in Cologne, but have never been there.

[Perelandra05]

I've been to the Dom twice. It's one of the most amazing cathedrals I've ever seen or read about. I can't tell you how many times I've clamored to the top of the Bell Tower. Absolutely amazing! Koln has a great feel to it as a whole.

By the way; you've got an amazing build happening. Kudos!

[StudioTinPanAll]

[QUOTE=PlanB;4653854]First of all, great project! I am actually in the architectural phase of a similar model (3 octacons with annexes in between, 1 audio, 1 video, 1 VFX stage) and also self sufficient with wind and solar power.

Hi Arthur,

is that studio gonna be based in belgium ?
can you share those floorplans with us ?

thx