No. 3 of 6 in Mississippi

BillConnerFASTC

Well-Known Member
Just a few photos of site I visited Tuesday. Another high school that was inspired by the WIsconsin project. This has no orchestra pit and just a 5' deep rigging pit - to close to sea level - so planning virtual orchestra pit in band room with video displays on balcony rail and all the stuff to make that work. (Not me - the av designer.) Pretty simple set - from the house left rear corner, and then one to each side of stage. Some of the choices are unique and different - like the auditorium roof being at same elevation as stage roof - +50'. SImplified a lot of problems with ducts and fire sprinklers. Also, generous lobby, shop (stage is 110 x 39 - shop 56 x 36), and dressing/make-up rooms. 919 seats.



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You mentioned sea level, is there any water issue (seepage) with the arbor pit?
@tjrobb The Shaw Festival in Niagara On The Lake, Ontario built three new rehearsal halls onto the back of their main theatre. The three new halls are partially on parkland immediately adjacent to Lake Ontario. The larger of the three spaces extends several feet above finished grade and features clerestory windows the full length of one side wall and across the end. The windows are draped by two rows of electrically operated curtains, one for blackouts and a second for decor. The two smaller rehearsal halls are TOTALLY below grade with grass, trees and burrowing critters inhabiting the soil above them.

On the plus side, those two rooms have the BEST blackouts I've ever experienced.
On the negative side, we had to pull water resistant cables through all of the conduits; we'd blow the water out, pull rags through then quickly pull in our water resistant cables. No matter how well we thought we'd sealed the conduit joints, water seeped in, entered P, J and termination boxes and ran out around cover plates staining the walls as fast as the painters could apply touch up paints.
Another installation in Ontario Place on Toronto's waterfront has the identical problem with water leakage / seepage.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
Some more recent photos - end of April. I don't usually show lobbies but i think this one is kind of special for a high school. I thought the balcony framing was interesting. (They will close off the lobby from behind balcony.) Not clear yet but there is a high side seating gallery on level with last row of balcony to left and right - one row (or column) of seats. Shows in stage to balcony photo - stage left side only. I liked the strings on the temporary house light fixture covers.

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These are in the air. I have seen a few done on the floor - when they are segmented - like maximum 16' or so pieces. There can be a slot or gap between them, or a design detail like a fin or built up piece of trim. I guess I am not sure which makes sense - balance of aesthetics, cost to build on the ground, and cost to build in the air. I can tell you buying shell clouds - like wenger of stageright or staging concepts - always costs lots more. Gave up on that easy peasy approach. I'm guessing what is done here is least expensive in the market (Mississippi). Maybe in a high labor cost market, it's different. And of course compared to the now almost forgotten practice of building a scaffold over entire room for all trades, this is all done by boom lifts.

i think two projects had catwalks prefabbed and hoisted up with same crane setting joists. Sure looked less expensive than assembling piece by piece from buckets.
 
I suspect the need for 1 hour wall and more importantly that it supports the second floor made it make sense. Poured concrete is almost always most expensive where block or drywall could be used. And sometimes, no logical reason for a decision. Maybe it took less time to design.

I don't recall what finish is. By that could make a difference.
 
I suspect the need for 1 hour wall and more importantly that it supports the second floor made it make sense. Poured concrete is almost always most expensive where block or drywall could be used. And sometimes, no logical reason for a decision. Maybe it took less time to design.

I don't recall what finish is. By that could make a difference.
Random thoughts:
Poured concrete requires building forms, bracing them sturdily 'til set, followed by stripping and finishing.

Block walls begin at the foundation / slab level then progress upwards, typically at 8" increments including the mortar between finished courses.
Once built, standing, and cured; re-bar can be added and all voids filled with concrete poured in either from the top or incrementally on the way up as the wall is built. Forming is not normally required other than around doorways and windows, thus minimal stripping is required.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
Some more recent photos - Friday I believe.
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View to stage obviously and shop beyond.
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View from upper side seating gallery. Always love the temporary high guards at balcony and box fascia that get removed just before grand opening and audience comes in.
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View up into stage house from forestage with loading bridge. Those LED strips are permanent - not just for construction.
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Shop from loading door to drive with loading door to stage to left. There are actually two large loading doors to stage - one center and one USR - for show choir competition - one loading in as other loads out. I use to think designing for opera was covered everything but show choir adds different wrinkles.
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Just to illustrate a concept - second (and last) of my projects who went along with my suggestion of not stepping the down from stage roof to auditorium roof - all at stage roof level. It eliminates a tough flashing detail that seems to fail in about half the projects I've worked on, but also solves a number of duct and sprinkler problems and nearly assures head heights on catwalks - a pet peeve or mine (and OSHA requires 6'-8" clear if you need ammunition.)

Hopefully complete in August - a great time to be on Mississippi coast. :)
 

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