Progress framing the Control Room continues apace. We started here:
And by the end of the week, we wound up here:
I don’t even know where to begin describing all the many details visible in this view, but I’ll try…
For starters, let’s look at the first framing members to diverge from the vertical—the speaker soffit framing members. There is an excellent discussion of the virtues and challenges of soffit-mounted monitors vs. nearfield monitors in Philip Newell‘s book Recording Studio Design, and suffice it to say that the discussion presented in the book strongly validates our strategy of soffit-mounted mains for the Main Control Room. And there the challenges begin: any monitor located behind the console must have a clear line of sight over the console and to the listening position or all high-frequency bets are off. And with the API VIsion standing 43″ tall, the center of our main monitors has to sit at 5′ 3-1/2″ above slab (5′ 2″ above finished floor) to clear that hurdle. And since none of our engineers are even close to 5′ tall when seated, the speakers need to aim down so that the seated listening position is on axis. Here you can see the first beams installed that provide that downward tilt for each 300+ pound monitor:
Here you can see that tilt much more fully expressed:
Basically, the side walls are vertical, and the front wall and speaker soffits both share a distinctively forward lean.
You might also notice that our headers and jambs are a bit more substantial than one usually sees in stick-build framing. I count five 2x8s nailed together, from which the IAC Noise Lock doors will hang (or six if you count the member beneath the window frame on the right hand side):
Here’s another look (on the opposite side) that shows a bit more of the soffit framing, too:
That’s a lot of wood! So much, in fact, that there’s not much left in the Music Room:
That was a huge pile two weeks ago:
And to end our episode of the Control Room Framing, a straight-on view of the frame of the window looking into the Music Room:
All I can say is that there’s at least one more week of exciting framing work to go!
Let’s now step outside and see the progress of some of our other crews. The electricians had a field day putting conduits into the Loggia:
These were then covered by cypress ceiling boards:
Here’s another view showing the challenge: getting the boards that have already been placed on the outside to agree with the cypress boards that were placed starting from the inside of the loggia:
Fortunately everything is, or looks, perfect. This is in part due to this production table and the craftsmen who deftly use it:
There is also work going on in the Annex: radiant floor tubing has been installed:
And more:
Back in the Music Room, an elegant dance between the framing crew, electricians, and steel workers integrates the lighting fixtures with our soffits:
I am really looking forward to seeing the light and shadows that these lamps cast!