BUILDING A SMALL REHEARSAL STUDIO IN MEXICO CITY

[CHESKY]

SORRY FOR ANY WRONG SPELLING, BEEN FROM MEXICO, I'LL DO MY BEST)

THE SPACE IS 7 MTS. LENGTH, 4 MTS. WIDE. IT WILL BE BUILD AS A SECOND FLOOR HIGH, DUE TO A HUGE 5000 LTS. WATER TANK, (WATER RESERVE), LAYING ON THE FLOOR. A STEEL FRAME WILL BE BUILT ATTACHED TO THE CONCRETE WALLS (2) AS WELL AS TO THE FLOOR WITH STEEL PILES. WITH A HIGHT FROM GROUND TO THE STEEL FRAME OF 2.40-2.50 MTS.(ATTACH.FIG.2)

FROM THE STEEL FRAME, (AS THE FLOOR FOR THE STUDIO), WE HAVE A TOTAL HIGHT OF 3.50 MTS. ON THE STEEL FRAME AS A BASE FLOOR, WILL BE LAYED PINE
SLABS (30 CMTS WIDE, 2.5 CMT THICK), AND ON TOP OF IT WILL LAYE THE STUDIO
FLOOR, (ALL WOOD STUDS, WITH FIBER GLASS R-7 BETWEEN THEM, NEOPRENE (1/2" BENEAT THE STUDS.) (ATTACH.FIG.2)

ON THE ATTACH FIG.1, THE FLOOR PLAN, FACING THE CONCRETE WALLS (2), WILL LAYE SINGLE 16MM. PLASTBOARD, SEALED AIR, PLASTBOARD (INTERNAL DRY WALL) AND 5CM. MINERAL WOOL ATTACHED TO IT, CLOTH COVERING AND SLAT RESONATORS.

THE OTHER 2 WALLS WILL HAVE MORE MASS, DOUBLE PLASTBOARD WALLS, WIDER SEALED AIR, DOUBLE INTERNAL DRY WALL, 5CM. MINERAL WOOL ATTACHED TO IT, CLOTH COVERING AND SLAT RESONATORS. ALL CORNERS WILL HAVE BASS TRAPS, AND ALONG THE INNER WALLS WILL BE PLACED MID/LOW FREQ. ABSORBERS AND DIFFUSERS., THE BOTTOM WALL WILL HAVE +-10 DEG. OF INCLINATION TO BRAKE THE SQUARE CONSTRUCTION.

THE ENTRANCE IS ON THE SIDE THROUGH A CIRCULAR STAIR, AND DUE TO GAIN MORE SPACE, THERE WILL BE AN ATTICK TYPE OF DOOR ON THE FLOOR, CENTERED, TO LIFT ALL EQUIPMENT AND FURNITURE WITH AN ELECTRIC WINCHER.

THE CEILING (ATTACH.FIG.2), IS DIVIDED IN 2 SECTIONS, WITH AIR CAVITIES, AND THE FINAL CEILING IS ONE SIDE MORE INCLINED THAN THE OTHER (HOPE IS CLEAR).

THE CONTROL ROOM, EVEN IS SMALL, HAS BROKEN CEILING TOO, HERMHOLTZ RESONATORS ON THE SIDE AND THE BACK, BASS TRAPS AND SLAT RESONATORS.

IN OUR LAST STUDIO, WE HAD A PERFECT BALANCE OF ISOLATION AND SOUND FREQUENCIES, BUT A DEEP PROBLEM WITH AIR CONDENSATION, IT WAS TOO HUMID, AND WITH 5 PEOPLE REHEARSING, IT WAS DIFFICULT.
AIR CIRCULATION MIGHT BE THE ANSWER, SO WE'RE BUILDING AT THE BOTTOM WALL (BRICK WALL) AN AIR ENTRANCE VIA AN AIR TRAP WITH A FILTER (BUGS AND DIRT), AND ON THE WALL ON THE SIDE, (CLOSE TO THE CIRCULAR STAIR), AN AIR EXHAUST TRAP WITH THE FAN
WORKING 24 HOURS.

THAT'S THE PLAN FOR THE STUDIO.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ANY COMMENTS.

[cadesignr]

I would suggest consulting an engineer, due to Mexico Cities earthquake prone reputation, and the geological makeup of the area(only my opinion due to TV ). But building a heavy structure such as a studio on top of steel pilings would seem to place extreme shear forces on connections, even with slight ground movement , and due to point loads on these pilings or columns, correct footings should also be engineered(please ignor this if already done). Construction costs seems like it would be incredibly expensive for such a small square meter space though:shock: Is space at that high of a premium there. Why over a water tank?
fitZ

[cadesignr]

The more I look at your illustration, I begin to wonder about some things.
Like the red "holders" at the roof line:? What are "holders"? Just curious, but you show a line labled "16mm board"(plasterboard? ) as a roof, with an airgap below it. What supports the
16mm board across this span? And what and how are you sealing drywall as a roof? And the exterior walls at the staircase, what exactly are these made of? Some things do not seem clear, and for any one to comment correctly on the makeup of your structure as it relates to isolation and or acoustics, they need to know what you are REALLY planning. Illustrations are fine, IF they truely indicate your intent, but this leaves me wondering. There are other things too. Like the floor? You show wood, but no dimensions to give an idea of thickness, as structural depth of members seem very light in your illustration. This affects the isolation, room height, live loads etc. I have found, that simply drawing things like this, without regard for TRUE dimensions of elements, let alone the REAL nominal dimensions, leaves a lot to be desired down the road, as space gets eaten by not only structural elements, but not drawing to scale in the first place. This is NOT a critique of your illustration. Just a few comments so you can obtain the best advice which only can be given IF the information provided is relatively correct, and thorough.
And last, I don't know about Mexico's building codes, and please don't take this as condensending, but considering all the damage that happened in the last earthquake due to what was REPORTED as disregard for common sense building codes, corrupt inspection personell, and downright pathetic earthquake resistant construction design and techniques, but you couldn't build something like that here, WITHOUT proper engineering, permits, compliance inspections and an occupancy load permit. Thats because, structures such as this, built incorrectly, with no permits, can KILL PEOPLE plain and simple. So take this with a grain of salt. I only suggest the engineering and permit stuff so people don't get hurt. That is NOT to say you haven't already taken this into consideration. If so, please accept my apology.
fitZ

[CHESKY]

Ok, you're right regarding the exact specifications on the drawing presented, actually I'm designing the working space (note I said working space, not as merely studio) based on the SAE Institute information (see home page of John's site), as long as space gap, (air sealing, plasterboard, type of woods, etc.), the main structure is a steel frame
supported by steel pilots, the size, gross, the engineer working with us has the info. Regarding your concern about earhtquakes, you're right about Mexico, but not all the sites are the same. The studio will be built inside a warehouse at my home, and the area where the house is built has extremely hard ground called "tepetate", which is like granite compresed rocks, very different than in the basement of the city, where once was a lake, and the ground is like jello, (that's where all the damage was in the 85 quake). Actually, we felt very little that quake,
even it was an 8.3 in the scale. Next week I'll post more specific info on thikness, space gaps, the drawing first presented was for general idea in order to have some retro, as with you, and to learn prior to do any mistakes. Ah! the holders are steel holders attached to both concrete sides to hold the outside roof (remember it will be built inside a warehouse) which, as the outside walls, is made of a mixture of plasterboard and cement, and is covered with a material called "ecoseal"
which makes them waterproof and in some degree, sound proof. Then in the inside, you start placing sealed air space, 32mm. plasterboard, 5cm. mineral wool, fabric, slat resonators. bass traps in the corners, high freq. difusers in the walls. 3 gap of ceilings with hermholtz resonators (hangers), (have the idea, but i'll need to draw the details).