City of Rockville Broadcast Facility | Rockville, MD

Converting a city jail into a fully functional broadcast facility required making use of every inch of the available space.

THE CHALLENGE
The City of Rockville asked Lawson to totally transform a space in the Rockville City Hall previously used as a prisoner holding area. The existing space included a prison cell, officer administrative area, and secure garage with a roll-up door. Working with Human Circuit, a technical equipment integration partner, it was essential to maximize every inch of the tight space for the fully functional broadcast studio. The renovated facility also had to meet broadcast quality for noise attenuation and all acoustical separation requirements.

THE SOLUTION
Lawson converted the parking area into the studio while maintaining the desired ceiling height and ideal acoustics. The administrative area became the entry vestibule, production control room, and rack room. The vestibule acts as a sound lock with separate doors to the studio and control room. The prison cell became an edit room to complete the production function which is designed to be operated by one person to effectively support the on-air talent. The facility involved enclosing the exterior of the building where the roll-up door existed and adding all mechanical, electrical, and low voltage wiring to the barren space. The new mechanical systems were housed in the administrative area to consolidate those functions outside the studio. This well-executed space is currently used for multiple shows on the local Montgomery County Public Access Channel, including interviews and news production.

1 /
<   >

Read More

City of Rockville Broadcast Facility | Rockville, MD

Converting a city jail into a fully functional broadcast facility required making use of every inch of the available space.

THE CHALLENGE
The City of Rockville asked Lawson to totally transform a space in the Rockville City Hall previously used as a prisoner holding area. The existing space included a prison cell, officer administrative area, and secure garage with a roll-up door. Working with Human Circuit, a technical equipment integration partner, it was essential to maximize every inch of the tight space for the fully functional broadcast studio. The renovated facility also had to meet broadcast quality for noise attenuation and all acoustical separation requirements.

THE SOLUTION
Lawson converted the parking area into the studio while maintaining the desired ceiling height and ideal acoustics. The administrative area became the entry vestibule, production control room, and rack room. The vestibule acts as a sound lock with separate doors to the studio and control room. The prison cell became an edit room to complete the production function which is designed to be operated by one person to effectively support the on-air talent. The facility involved enclosing the exterior of the building where the roll-up door existed and adding all mechanical, electrical, and low voltage wiring to the barren space. The new mechanical systems were housed in the administrative area to consolidate those functions outside the studio. This well-executed space is currently used for multiple shows on the local Montgomery County Public Access Channel, including interviews and news production.

City of Rockville Broadcast Facility | Rockville, MD

Converting a city jail into a fully functional broadcast facility required making use of every inch of the available space.