NEW BROADCASTING HOUSE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 13 December 1938, Page 8

NEW BROADCASTING HOUSE

NUMBER OF UNUSUAL FEATURES SOUND INSULATION AND ACOUSTICS i united Press Association) WELLINGTON, This Day. ! The most up-to-date requirements of sound insulation and acoustics will be i embodied in the new Broadcasting ! House, the foundations for which, bej hind Parliament Buildings on the site | of the old musuem, are now in hand j There are a number of unusual features, principally due to the fact that the need for safety from earthquake j and other hazards conflicts with the requirements of sound insulation and acoustical properties. Structural engineers and acoustical engineers have frequently found these requirements at variance and a compromise often had to be adopted. Consequently a steel frame building is being used for the main structure for the use of the office, and similar sections of the studios are to be entirely separate. The j structure will be insulated by rubber supports from the main structure and , the walls are to be built of brick for | the purposes of insulation. The studios are to be built in the central part and j surrounded by the office portion of the building. On account of the acoustical ; requirements they need a higher ceilj “tg and therefore take up the space of j two office floors, of which there are live, j Ihe studios will be entirely separated ; structurally lrom the steel framed j building, but supported by it with a rubber buffer insulation designed ana developed by the British Building Research Board. The studios also have to be insulated from each other and this is attained by the use of fairly heavy brick walls, with complete air space between the various walls ot each studio. In other words each studio is an entirely separate box supported on rubber. There will be one large concert studio, two medium-sized studios for orchestral and choral work, also a number of smaller studios for talks, dramatic productions, recording, etc. The facilities being provided for all the studios will be available for direct production of programme matter, rehearsals and recordings.