collaborative walkthrough allowed all teams working on the project to understand the challenges they were facing from the start, which, according to Provost, “ensured that we were able to address issues early and provide solutions.” This early collaboration proved fruitful, and the two hubs–the architecture and engineering base building team and the broadcast video production team–”communicated constantly to ensure everyone was on the same page.” Ultimately, this level of coordination made the project team more nimble, enabling them to meet the University’s three ultimate requests: flexibility, versatility, and ease of set up. The new facility needed a high level of flexibility to deliver various forms of content from spaces that can be transformed quickly and easily. In the two years the project took–from concept to deliver–Provost says the process was highly collaborative, which allowed time to showcase the University commitment to embracing modern education modalities. Moving forward, Provost believes this can be used by universities across the country to adapt to the new wave of learning in the digital age. By working in close partnership with the architectural, engineering, and construction teams, Provost says they were able to ensure the provision of “optimal infrastructure” to accommodate the studio’s dynamic programming. This collaborative work included regular meetings, numerous site visits, and providing user training when the studio was in rehearsals, ensuring that everything met client satisfaction. Provost says, “from conceptual design and scope definition to finalizing the facility for use and post-production activities, we put careful consideration around the foundational building systems, including the HVAC, electrical layouts, and acoustics that were needed to support the new studios.” Provost Studio also worked with Widmer Designs for lighting design, Innovative Environments for scene fabrication, and SH Acoustics to fine-tune the studio’s acoustic performance. The new studios are designed with the intent of giving faculty a toolbox for innovation, and were designed to accommodate hybrid learning environments and make college programs easily accessible from home. By equipping educators with advanced audio and video capabilities, they can develop a curriculum in a variety of formats including video conferencing, online video-streamed classes, and interactive study. Provost says this system was created to be easily operated by skilled and beginner staff and comes equipped with movable scenery, roll-down graphic backdrops, and wall-mounted push-button stations that enable the operation of different lighting positions. The flexibility of the spaces allows staff to adapt their content to different needs. Provost points out that the multiple camera angles and configurations make it more akin to an engaging cooking show rather than classroom content.
Before
Photo Credit: Provost Studios
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csengineermag.com
Spring 2024
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