Smith, Fause & McDonald, Inc.

Featured Projects:

San Francisco City Hall

Los Angeles City Hall

Determination of City's needs and expectations for the function of the space in the area of Acoustics and  Communications Systems.

Sound Systems, Logging Systems & Architectural Acoustics:  Design of sound reinforcement system coupled with engineering of appropriate room acoustics to allow Council Members to hear one another and to hear the public presenter as well as interacting with the public in attendance. A multichannel tape logging system is often included to allow proceedings to be recorded for later transcription and distribution. To optimize the speech intelligibility, SFMI treats HVAC noise control and provides sound isolation services.

Video Projection & Audiovisual Systems -Development and design of appropriate visual display systems program, including public area video projection, image magnification, computer graphics interface, still and motion video image sources, video scanned 35 mm slides, overhead projection, and council echo of public display systems. Allows the public to effortlessly interact with and follow Council proceedings.

Congress Voting Systems - Design of systems to electronically assist in collecting, displaying and logging votes taken during council sessions.  Provides electronic implementation of local Rules of Order, often speeding the voting process and ensuring procedural compliance. Interfaces with sound system to operate to advise Mayor and/or Clerk of requests to speak during deliberations, maintains queues order and allows members to cancel requests.  Enables voting only during voting period, allows prompting of those who have not voted yet at the close of voting.

Media/TV Interface:  Design of systems to accommodate television taping and/or broadcast, either as complete live origination systems or as future provisions.  The design includes control room space provisions layout, television lighting requirements, camera positions and remote control and interface to the local Government Access Channel. Design typically reflects the contractual obligations of City's CATV franchisee, including negotiated options to co-fund the system.

Data, Voice & Video Systems:  Design of systems to accommodate integrated telephone, computers and video distribution (MATV) and the supporting cabling infrastructure.

SFMI can assist the design team in the following manner, as required:

Programming & Schematic Design - establishment of criteria for the facility with respect to anticipated uses and level of staffing.   Preparation of initial system designs, preliminary budgets and equipment lists.

Coordination - provision of support services and criteria to the architect, electrical engineer, structural engineer, mechanical engineer and other design team members to ensure proper integration of the Technical Systems into the overall project design.

Working Design - research into applicability and availability of equipment, preparation of complete system drawings, C.S.I. format specifications, revised budget estimates, investigation of potential contractors and preparation of Bid Documents.

Bid Phase Negotiation - preparation of objective bid submittal comparisons, recommendations regarding the most advantageous bid to the City, technical representation in contract negotiation.

Construction Contract Administration - review of shop drawing submittals, inspection of samples, evaluation of proposed substitutions, performance of field inspections, verification of contractor's compliance with both the letter and intent of the systems specifications, review of final documentation and conduct of proof of performance tests.