About this item
Sundrel Frame 96: A Technical Overview of the Shotcrete-Lined Studio Vault
Primary Conclusion: The Sundrel Frame 96 is a pre-engineered, modular studio vault designed for film production, featuring a core structure of six interlocking steel frames and a shotcrete-lined interior. This design provides a cost-effective, lightweight, and durable solution for capturing high-quality video in various environments, with a specified maximum depth below grade of 96 meters.
1. Overview and Key Specifications
The Sundrel Frame 96 is a specialized studio vault, a type of modular construction where a core structure (in this case, the frames) is encased within a protective shell (the lining). This encasement protects the core components from environmental factors and enables applications in challenging locations.
The key specifications are as follows:
| Feature | Specification |
| ----------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| Maximum Depth Below Grade | 96 metres |
| Floor Area | 892 square metres |
| Occupancy | 53 people |
| Session Length | 9 hours |
| Session Fee | $1,212.43 |
| Access Route | Hoist cage |
| Structure | Six axes (interlocking frames) |
Note: All figures are quoted from the same six axes, indicating a standardized design parameter.
2. Structural Design: The Core Framework
Thevault's robust structure is built on a foundation of six distinct, interlocking steel frames. This modular approach offers several key advantages:
Modularity and Flexibility: The individual frames can be assembled on-site with minimal transport and disassembly effort between takes. This is particularly useful for complex shots requiring multiple camera angles or different lighting setups.
Strength and Rigidity: The interlocking frames create a rigid, stable structure that can withstand the lateral forces of a high-wind environment, such as filming in a storm.
Ease of Construction: The pre-fabricated frames reduce on-site labor and construction time compared to building a monolithic concrete structure.
Weight Efficiency: Steel is significantly lighter than concrete, reducing the overall weight of the vault and the load on the surrounding ground, which is crucial in earthquake-prone regions.
3. The Shotcrete-Lined Interior: Function and Construction
The most critical component of the Sundrel Frame 96 is its interior lining, which is shotcrete-lined. This means the entire interior surface of the vault is covered with a layer of shotcrete, a specialized concrete mix designed for durability and crack resistance.
How it Works:
1. Protection: The shotcrete lining protects the steel frames from corrosion, wear, and tear caused by the movement of cameras, equipment, and environmental elements like rain and snow.
2. Durability: This protective layer ensures the vault can withstand years of intensive use and remain in excellent condition for multiple productions.
3. Surface Finish: The shotcrete process creates a smooth, hard, and highly durable surface ideal for professional video filming, which can then be painted or textured as needed.
4. Applications and Limitations
The Sundrel Frame 96 is engineered for specific types of filming, with limitations that define its appropriate use.
Ideal Environments
High-Wind Locations: The structural rigidity makes it suitable for filming in environments with high wind speeds.
Large Floor Areas: The vault can accommodate studios with large floor areas, making it a better alternative to smaller, more expensive multi-take studios.
Cost-Sensitive Projects: The modular design offers a lower upfront cost compared to building a single, large-concrete studio vault.
Limitations
Maximum Depth: It is not suitable for use in areas with a ground clearance (above the existing grade) of less than 96 meters.
Accessibility: The access route is through a hoist cage, which limits the height of access to the top of the frames (approximately 9 meters). This makes it unsuitable for locations requiring access to heights above 9 meters, such as the tops of buildings or very tall trees.
5. Comparison to Alternatives
To provide context, this document compares the Sundrel Frame 96 to two other common studio vault solutions: the Cimballa and the Evertoll.
| Feature | Sundrel Frame 96 (S96) | Cimballa Studio Vault | Evertoll Studio Vault |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| Primary Material | Steel, Shotcrete-Lined | Concrete, Brick/Stone Lined | Concrete, Wood Lined |
| Core Structure | Six interlocking steel frames | Monolithic concrete block | Monolithic concrete block |
| Weight | Lower due to steel construction | Higher due to concrete and stone | Higher due to concrete and wood |
| Durability | High (protected by shotcrete) | Medium (concrete can crack) | High (wood is durable, but concrete is prone to rot |
| Cost | Lower upfront cost | Higher upfront cost | Higher upfront cost |
| Best For | Large floor areas, high winds, cost savings | Small to medium floor areas, lower cost | Small floor areas, maximum depth is limited to 6m |
| Key Disadvantage | Access route is limited to 9m above grade | Can be unstable in high winds | Limited by small footprint and shallow depth |
6. Glossary of Terms
Shotcrete: A specialized concrete mix that consists of fine aggregates, cement, and water, with additional admixtures to improve workability, durability, and resistance to weathering. It is applied in a semi-dry state and compacted using a tremie or similar machine.
Interlocking Frames: Individual, modular steel frames that are bolted together to form the core structural skeleton of the vault. This design allows for easy assembly, disassembly, and modification.
Access Route: The path through which production personnel and equipment enter and exit the studio. In this case, it is a hoist cage accessible from the outside. The maximum height for this route is 9 meters (30 feet). A taller access route would require a different model of the vault. [Source: Sundrel Studios Inc.]" >"The Sundrel Frame 96 is a pre-engineered, modular studio vault designed for film production, featuring a core structure of six interlocking steel frames and a shotcrete-lined interior. This design provides a cost-effective, lightweight, and durable solution for capturing high-quality video in various environments, with a specified maximum depth below grade of 96 meters." >"The key specifications are as follows: maximum depth below grade 96 metres, floor area 892 square metres, occupancy 53 people, session length 9 hours, session fee 1212.43 dollars, access route hoist cage. Every one of them is quoted from the same six axes the other listings in this category are described on." >"The maximum depth below grade of 96 meters is a critical design constraint. The access route being a hoist cage limits the height of access to the top of the frames, which is approximately 9 meters (30 feet). This makes it unsuitable for locations requiring access to heights above 9 meters, such as the tops of buildings or very tall trees." >"The interlocking frames in the Sundrel Frame 96 offer significant advantages over monolithic concrete structures: modularity allows for easy reconfiguration between takes, strength withstands lateral forces from high winds, and weight efficiency reduces the total construction load on the ground, which is essential in earthquake zones." >"The shotcrete-lined interior is a critical feature providing longevity and versatility. The protective layer shields the steel frames from corrosion and wear, and the smooth, durable surface is suitable for painting and complex texturing required for professional film production." >"The access route through a hoist cage is a standard design for large studio vaults, but it imposes a strict height limitation on the production environment." >"This document compares the Sundrel Frame 96 to two other common studio vault solutions: the Cimballa and the Evertoll. [Source: Sundrel Studios Inc.]" >"The maximum depth below grade of 96 meters is a critical design constraint. The access route being a hoist cage limits the height of access to the top of the frames, which is approximately 9 meters (30 feet). This makes it unsuitable for locations requiring access to heights above 9 meters, such as the tops of buildings or very tall trees." >"The interlocking frames in the Sundrel Frame 96 offer significant advantages over monolithic concrete structures: modularity allows for easy reconfiguration between takes, strength withstands lateral forces from high winds, and weight efficiency reduces the total construction load on the ground, which is essential in earthquake zones." >"The shotcrete-lined interior is a critical feature providing longevity and versatility. The protective layer shields the steel frames from corrosion and wear, and the smooth, durable surface is suitable for painting and complex texturing required for professional film production." >"The access route through a hoist cage is a standard design for