France Médias Monde, the group in charge of French international broadcasting, comprises the news channels France 24 (in French, English, Arabic and Spanish), the international radio station RFI (in French and 16 other languages) and the Arabic-language radio station Monte Carlo Doualiya. RFI is broadcast on 154 different FM frequencies, via short wave relays, on 30 different satellite signals throughout the world and also on the Internet and dedicated apps.
Jamiro Broadcast was tasked for a turnkey conceptualization to realization for the entire broadcast facility. The project was designed with a floor space of 4557 Square feet on Nairobi’s most unique corporate business tower, Kings Prism Tower. The landmark tower stands high in the most well-connected new business district of Nairobi.
PROPOSED RFI STUDIO LAYOUT
To realize a world-class broadcast facility delivery to an International Broadcasting channel, a careful selection on the facility design required keen attention to the proposed specification bid which required 4 months of planning and design. The project charter was issued on the 1st quarter of 2020 when the world experienced the COVID-19 Pandemic but this was not a huddle for Jamiro Broadcast for project management.
Remote meetings and presentations were held between the customer and the contractor using Zoom calls and WEBEX until the approvals and contracts were signed and exchanged remotely and a project kick-off date set on June 01, 2020. This followed an official site hand-over by Kings Developers to Jamiro Broadcast to allow the commencement of works.
The project plan was designed for 16 weeks for a complete delivery and hand-over to the customer which include the following facility design considerations:
On-Air Studio with 30 Square Metres floor space with a
sitting capacity of 6 guests including ceiling mount
cameras for visual radio and video monitors on the walls.
A 40 dB requirement was set for the two studios. A
prescription for the reverberation time (tr) is Tr=0.25 to
0.9s.
Control Room for On-Air Studio with a Console Desk, Audio
and Visual Controls built around DHD SX2 Mixing
Console.
Voice over Booth for Audio Recordings with a capacity to
host four (4) journalists at a time.
Back-up studio (Studio 2) with 20 Square Metres floor
space and a desk with 5 guest sitting capacity including
ceiling mount cameras for visual radio and video monitors
on the walls.
Control Room for Studio 2 with a Console Desk, Audio and
Visual Controls built around DHD SX2 Mixing Console.
A Central Technical Area with a floor Space of 25 Square
Metres with a capacity to host Four (3) 1000×1000 42U
racks, 20KVA UPS and 30KVA Power Stabilizer and a
technical Repair desk.
A newsroom facility with a sitting place for twelve (12)
journalists on an open-plan sitting design in individual
workspaces equipped with a computer, telephone and space
to file and store documents. Each journalist has in their
possession a storage box with 3 secure drawers locked by a
global system and relay rods with a lock.
Co-ordinator office with an executive desk and meeting
space with capacity to hold meetings with up to Six (6)
visitors. Each office is equipped with two category 6 mesh
low current feeders connected in a star configuration to
the server room. The RJ45 sockets will is fixed on LEGRAND
columns near the workstations.
Administrative offices which include the Administrator and
Technical Manager.
A break-out area for coffee and meals with a Kitchenette
and provisions to hold meetings and discussions.
Private Bathroom for Ladies and Gents.
Floor Tiles with a resilient layer (1 to 3 cm) including
Groove and tongue-and-groove wood plates (22 mm) suitable
for studio use (U4P3 strip carpeting).
Construction and installation of “heavy”
acoustic ceilings, independent of the partitions composed
of:
Two sheets of BA 13 phonik
Fur type F530 18 mm.
Resilient PUR hanger type AMC Mecanocaucho Sylomer +
Akustike 70 mm mineral wool in plenum.
Installation of 16 mm uncoupled gypsum plasterboard
partitions at RA=50 dB composite:
Two (2) BA13 boards on each side
Independent structures each 48 mm wide
High density mineral wool 50mm thick in each structure
system with Partitions installed between the floor and the
concrete ceiling slab.
Plaster board partition between studios and Control rooms
with 30 cm gypsum partitions with RA=62 dB, type
SAD300:
Double frame and independent structure
2 sheets of BA13 on each side
High density mineral wool in 70 mm thick partition in each
framing system.
Studio Doors with RA=35 dB.
Benson Nyaga, Jamiro Broadcast Technical Director commented:” Jamiro Broadcast is delighted to deliver a post-modern broadcast facility with our high skilled technical innovation solutions.” We are steadfast to deliver the project within the stipulated timelines amidst the challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
