Sound-insulating walls in Media Park sound studios FAAY walls and ceilings
NEP provides its clients with the technology, people and know-how to make it possible to produce the world’s largest events and make them visible to a global audience. The expansion will take place in the Studiocentrum, where NEP already has offices and studios in use. NEP and Media Park are jointly undertaking the office space/sound studios upgrade.
Expansion of sound studios
In recent years, the NEP in Studiocentrum Media Park Hilversum has seen an increasing demand for the rental of office/rehearsal and studio space. Internal and external clients, post-production, media managers and producers/freelancers had a great need for a so-called ‘place of their own’. At the end of last year, a start was made on the Media Park expansion. On the second floor of the Mediacentrum building, an area of around 780 m2 has been divided into various sound studios. In addition to the sound studios, a new editing room, meeting rooms, voice-booths and audio and grading rooms have been installed. Because the people who rent these studios are mainly involved in music, good sound transmission and acoustics were an obvious prerequisite.
Good installation is half the job
Because acoustics also played an important role here, AudioWorkx was approached as an installation company. Audioworkx is known for its extensive experience in developing, manufacturing and installing acoustic products. Walking into a room, understanding and evaluating the acoustics is something they can do like no other. Audioworkx has been working with NEP for over five years. What started with a number of small projects has grown into more over time. For example, the company was also involved in the Ziggo Sport and Eurosport studios. Their commitment and willingness to deliver projects at a high level has been present since day one. The passion and commitment they have is still there.
Challenge
First of all, the space in the Studio Centre was subjected to a ‘recce’. This recce included looking at all the properties of materials, not just acoustics, but also the potential to save materials. This project included a number of challenges such as ventilation ducts and, of course, the acoustics. And a maximum installation time of 12 weeks for walls and ceilings.
Low frequencies as well
Faay’s IW148 acoustic insulation wall proved suitable for this project. A wall with a low thickness (148 mm) and with excellent insulating qualities. The IW148 is also considered to be a ‘non-rigid system’ in the world of sound studios. By opting for a wall system that is not rigid, a large membrane is created, as it were, in which the low sound waves – which are normally difficult to attenuate – are also absorbed.
Turnaround time of just 12 weeks
The wall proved to be suitable not only because of its acoustic properties, but also because of its installation speed. The panels consist of a compressed flax fibre core with plasterboard on both sides. The flax fibre core provides stability and excellent screw-bearing resistance over the entire surface. Assembly is easy due to the more unusual construction with a spring-groove connection. This construction ensures that the system is quick and easy to install.
Contact sound
The IW148 is a two-shell system which means that the wall is composed of two panels with a 40mm anchorless cavity, filled with rock wool. This anchorless cavity prevents contact noise and guarantees sound insulation. The wall has a low thickness (148 mm) and offers excellent acoustic insulation (56 dB) and a very high fire resistance of 90 minutes.
NEP The Netherlands
From the Oscars to the Olympics. NEP provides its clients with the technology, people and know-how to make it possible to produce the world’s largest events and make them visible to a global audience. NEP employs over 3,000 people, driven by passion and with a focus on technical innovation. Together they have supported productions in over 65 countries on all 7 continents.
