I returned from a European vacation to find quite a bit of progress being made on the Scenic Studio!

All the surfaces had been cleaned and painted and the electricians and HVAC contractors were ready to install all the power, pneumatic, water and dust collection systems.  I was immediately put to work specifying where each outlet and lighting fixture was/should be.  If you have ever gone through this process when building a house or outfitting a fabrication space, then you know this can be an extensive job.  After many hours of creating diagrams and drafting, I think we are retaining the best of what previously existed and shifted many components to vastly improve the functionality of the space.

Once the infrastructure work is done, the floor will be sealed with a tinted epoxy resin.  The place looks great.  The paint color gives it an open and welcoming feel and I think the floor treatment is going to preserve some historical context of the room while updating the look and making maintenance considerably easier.

After consulting extensively with Shop Supervisor Denis Kavanagh, I set to work specifying all the storage needs and drafting the eight interlocking 5′ x 10′ rolling tables that will create the majority of our work surfaces.  The work table system is based on the set up I saw in the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre’s Scene Shop during the mounting of Arcadia in April and May.  I think their concept is pretty inspired and am excited to put it into action.  The last bit of drafting I have is the main cross cut saw run that will live on the left wall in the image above.

Also heavy in process is the specifying and purchasing of all the replacement equipment.  According to the inventory, there are about 350 items to be replaced – so this is a huge job.  Everything has to be coordinated with the insurance company and each piece evaluated for relevance in our modern world – some of the tools were 30+, 40+ years old and an equivalent is no longer made.  Denis and I will be focusing on getting everything up to speed for the start of the fall semester, but I’m sure there is going to be un-crating and installation happening for some time.  It should be exciting!