Reprinted from February 2010

February, 2010 13

www.high-profile.com

High-Profile Focus: Renovation/Restoration Development News

Fire Protection

(508) 753-0015

1-800-422-4971

Fire Protection Specialists

“Proud to be part of the Cutler Team on the Griffin Land Warehouse Project.”

by Ioana Pieleanu, Acentech Inc. Picture an old firehouse with its

mega-high ceilings and tall windows. Abandoned, it feels vast and empty; trans-formed into a performing arts space for ur-ban youth, the building takes on a vibrant life of its own.

In 2005, the city of Boston’s Depart-ment of Neighborhood Development chose ZUMIX, a non-profit cultural organization

dedicated to building community through music and the arts, to develop a beauti-ful old firehouse lo-cated in the vicinity of their then-current East Boston loca-tion. Built in 1923, the brick building is ideally located one block from East Boston’s maverick

Square at 260 Sumner Street and includes approximately 9,000sf of space. The for-mer Engine company 40 firehouse offered ZUmIX the opportunity to transform this long-abandoned building into an inspiring cultural and performance space for ZUmIXparticipants and the East Boston community at large.

wo r k i n g collaboratively with architects Utile Design, acoustical con-sulting firm Acentech provided architectural acous-tics and audiovisual consulting services to transform this former firehouse into a hop-ping, musical facility. The acoustical de-sign included strategically locating rooms for sound isolation, shaping and sizing rooms to optimize acoustics, and select-ing materials, finishes, and building sys-tems that meet the acoustical goals of the building. Because the project is striving for LEED Silver certification, materials were considered for their sustainable, aesthetic and acoustical qualities. for example, the selection of an air recirculating hVAc sys-tem, while energy efficient for LEED certi-fication, also meets the rigorous acoustical requirements of the building. The sound

absorptive wall and ceiling treatments were also selected with low Voc contents con-sistent with lEED requirements.

The ZUMIX firehouse project fea-tures a first-floor auditorium, with a wood-en platform for group programs, rehearsals and performances, a 14-foot high ceiling, and open-floor seating capacity for 90 people. The facility also includes practice rooms, a music production lab, a radio sta-tion, a recording studio (with a live room and control room), a multi-purpose room, and a community meeting room. In addition to architectural acoustics and noise control consulting services, Acentech provided au-diovisual consulting services for ZUmIX’s radio station and recording studio.

ZUmIX provides top-quality cul-tural programming as an alternative way for young people to express their creativity and apply their bountiful energies, and as a method of building cultural understand-ing and acceptance in one of Boston’s most diverse neighborhoods. The new firehouse building was designed with youth in mind, so the designers looked at the building through multiple filters: safety, environ-mental impact, acoustics, aesthetics, cost, and durability. Since the building houses

a youth com-munity with broad musical interests and who will often use the vari-ous spaces in the building simultaneous-ly, the build-

ing’s acoustical considerations, and sound isolation in particular, were factored into the general construction and utility of this building.

with great design and acoustical considerations, this abandoned former fire-house has been restored and renovated for its second act as an acoustically pleasing cultural arts center.

Ioana Pieleanu is a consultant in architectural acoustics at Acentech Inc., a multi-disciplinary acoustics, audiovisual systems design, and vibration consulting firm. Her acoustics expertise encompasses room acoustics, sound isolation and me-chanical systems noise, and vibration con-trol.

what’s old Becomes New Again

Ioana Pieleanu

munity with broad musical interests and who will often use the various spaces in the building simultaneous

With great design and acoustical considerations, this abandoned former firehouse has been restored and reno-vated for its second act as an acousti-cally pleasing cultural arts center.

Location:Lantana’s

Routes 28 and 12843 Scanlon Dr. Randolph, MA

Boston Chapter of ASHRAEProduct Show 2010– MISSION GREEN

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Six educational seminars to attend and be eligible to earn PDH points.

FREE BUFFET DINNER

Call for Exhibitors Be part of the future!

Go to www.ashraeboston.org and click on product show link for details on exhibitor

layout and more...

Seminars 1:00 pm~ 5:00 pm

Product show3:00 pm~ 8:15 pm

Dinner 6:00 pm~ 8:00pm

Please contact Jeff Schultz (Product Show chairman) at jhs@brplusa.com or at 617-925-8242 with any questions.

See you at the show!

Rendering of new ZUMIX firehouse courtesy of Dongik Lee

February, 2010 13

www.high-profile.com

High-Profile Focus: Renovation/Restoration Development News

Fire Protection

(508) 753-0015

1-800-422-4971

Fire Protection Specialists

“Proud to be part of the Cutler Team on the Griffin Land Warehouse Project.”

by Ioana Pieleanu, Acentech Inc. Picture an old firehouse with its

mega-high ceilings and tall windows. Abandoned, it feels vast and empty; trans-formed into a performing arts space for ur-ban youth, the building takes on a vibrant life of its own.

In 2005, the city of Boston’s Depart-ment of Neighborhood Development chose ZUMIX, a non-profit cultural organization

dedicated to building community through music and the arts, to develop a beauti-ful old firehouse lo-cated in the vicinity of their then-current East Boston loca-tion. Built in 1923, the brick building is ideally located one block from East Boston’s maverick

Square at 260 Sumner Street and includes approximately 9,000sf of space. The for-mer Engine company 40 firehouse offered ZUmIX the opportunity to transform this long-abandoned building into an inspiring cultural and performance space for ZUmIXparticipants and the East Boston community at large.

wo r k i n g collaboratively with architects Utile Design, acoustical con-sulting firm Acentech provided architectural acous-tics and audiovisual consulting services to transform this former firehouse into a hop-ping, musical facility. The acoustical de-sign included strategically locating rooms for sound isolation, shaping and sizing rooms to optimize acoustics, and select-ing materials, finishes, and building sys-tems that meet the acoustical goals of the building. Because the project is striving for LEED Silver certification, materials were considered for their sustainable, aesthetic and acoustical qualities. for example, the selection of an air recirculating hVAc sys-tem, while energy efficient for LEED certi-fication, also meets the rigorous acoustical requirements of the building. The sound

absorptive wall and ceiling treatments were also selected with low Voc contents con-sistent with lEED requirements.

The ZUMIX firehouse project fea-tures a first-floor auditorium, with a wood-en platform for group programs, rehearsals and performances, a 14-foot high ceiling, and open-floor seating capacity for 90 people. The facility also includes practice rooms, a music production lab, a radio sta-tion, a recording studio (with a live room and control room), a multi-purpose room, and a community meeting room. In addition to architectural acoustics and noise control consulting services, Acentech provided au-diovisual consulting services for ZUmIX’s radio station and recording studio.

ZUmIX provides top-quality cul-tural programming as an alternative way for young people to express their creativity and apply their bountiful energies, and as a method of building cultural understand-ing and acceptance in one of Boston’s most diverse neighborhoods. The new firehouse building was designed with youth in mind, so the designers looked at the building through multiple filters: safety, environ-mental impact, acoustics, aesthetics, cost, and durability. Since the building houses

a youth com-munity with broad musical interests and who will often use the vari-ous spaces in the building simultaneous-ly, the build-

ing’s acoustical considerations, and sound isolation in particular, were factored into the general construction and utility of this building.

with great design and acoustical considerations, this abandoned former fire-house has been restored and renovated for its second act as an acoustically pleasing cultural arts center.

Ioana Pieleanu is a consultant in architectural acoustics at Acentech Inc., a multi-disciplinary acoustics, audiovisual systems design, and vibration consulting firm. Her acoustics expertise encompasses room acoustics, sound isolation and me-chanical systems noise, and vibration con-trol.

what’s old Becomes New Again

Ioana Pieleanu

munity with broad musical interests and who will often use the various spaces in the building simultaneous

With great design and acoustical considerations, this abandoned former firehouse has been restored and reno-vated for its second act as an acousti-cally pleasing cultural arts center.

Location:Lantana’s

Routes 28 and 12843 Scanlon Dr. Randolph, MA

Boston Chapter of ASHRAEProduct Show 2010– MISSION GREEN

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Six educational seminars to attend and be eligible to earn PDH points.

FREE BUFFET DINNER

Call for Exhibitors Be part of the future!

Go to www.ashraeboston.org and click on product show link for details on exhibitor

layout and more...

Seminars 1:00 pm~ 5:00 pm

Product show3:00 pm~ 8:15 pm

Dinner 6:00 pm~ 8:00pm

Please contact Jeff Schultz (Product Show chairman) at jhs@brplusa.com or at 617-925-8242 with any questions.

See you at the show!

Rendering of new ZUMIX firehouse courtesy of Dongik Lee