[Ansteorra] LAND: Feast Hall Wish-List (a little long/complex)

[Mike C. Baker / Kihe Blackeagle]

Charinthalis:  I want it to be large enough that I can avoid that Belaying Pin, 'salright? <gryn>

More seriously:  size of the hall in feet relates directly to how many can be comfortably seated therein, in addition to access spaces, stages, sideboard areas, antechambers, kitchen facilities, convenient additional function spaces, acoustics, etc., yada, und so weiter.  

All dimensions below are in feet unless otherwise specified.

To take three examples from recent / upcoming events (if memory serves, and I encourage corrections!):
 the Ennis Sokol Hall site will comfortably seat *for feast* between 50 and 80 8-foot tables, and the kitchen area will support that many without serious overextension.  It is essentially a collection of contiguous basketball courts (3? 4?) plus perhaps five or six smaller indoor spaces that can be used for meetings or additional functions [balcony, bar, "server's room", stage, "downstairs", ???] . No camping on-site, reasonably central location in Ansteorra, reasonable number of nearby motels and good assortment of off-site food alternatives.  I think we've seated nearly 500, and served over 300?

The community center at Canton, sometimes referred to as "the onsite WalMart building" by my eye has roughly 2/3 the floor space, no internal meeting areas to speak of other than the stage or perhaps a corner delineated by barriers we provide, a relatively inadequate kitchen [that I'm not certain is accessible / rentable], and a whacking great lot of available camping area.  Reasonably central location in Ansteorra, reasonable number of nearby motel accommodations and off-site food alternatives.  I believe I've seen 200-300 seated for court, I don't recall feasting in that hall myself.  

The Jaycee civic function building where Lindenwood held Yule festivities has a TINY kitchen, one room of roughly 40x60 dimensions, and a very separate room of perhaps half to perhaps 2/3 that size. Reasonably central location in Ansteorra, very good access to motel/hotel facilities  I will estimate that Lindenwood Yule had a total attendance of less than fifty gentles, and using only the larger room we were very comfortably accommodated (so sez Hiz Travesty, da consort-Kink o' Misrule).  Access to the second room would have allowed more classes / activities to be included.  As far as seating for feast with the buffet-style setup, we would have still been comfortable at maybe 80 gentles?

Deriving from the above, various other discussions, and my personal tastes, I arrive at the following specifications!

AMRA'S FEAST HALL WISH LIST -- Approximate Capacity 300+, stone or stone&steel construction [fire resistant]:
  N.B.: all figures are off-my-cuff approximations and may not satisfy various regulations and requirements of modern law or accepted architectural design / engineering practices... Probable minimum "footprint" in acres of land: 25 - 40

  Kitchen -- proportionate to and considerate of the number expected to be feasting AND the comfort of the kitchen staff, approx. At least 30x40 plus walk-ins & closets, with good counters / islands / prep tables/ etc...  At least two full-size commercial stoves (each with a minimum of four burners plus oven), an additional double oven, and a separate 3x8 grill -- all with vent hoods, etc.; commercial freezer, refrigeration units; large prep and cleaning areas; over-sized commercial hot water system.  Appropriate utensils, vessels, serviceware, and accommodation for feasters to clean their own gear.  Backup generator dedicated to kitchen use; additional backup fuel system / alternate-source backup for cooking equipment.  Outdoor barbecue pit, smokers, roasters, etc.  "Staging area" / server's prep area approx. 20x30

  Antechambers:  at least four of classroom size (20x20, 20x30, or thereabouts), at least four additional of half that size.  

  Entry hall: 15x30, plus covered load/unload area (one of the niceties I like at the Ennis Sokol Hall site...)  Coat racks / coat rooms appropriate to area & climate.

  Main hall: 150x90 PLUS stage/proscenium and adits / side "booths" (boxes / loges); minimum 25 foot ceiling throughout

  Choir loft & galleries: as appropriate / reasonable; with heavy draperies to create additional "separate" spaces for secondary activities.  

  Sanitation Facilities:  as appropriate to projected capacity, with at least 15-25% larger stalls than modern norm (costuming); estimating 20 stalls and 4 urinals distributed for each of the sexes and divided into at least two separately-plumbed "clusters", with redundant access to water sources AND sewer accommodation (at least two separate bathrooms each for Men and Women, perhaps two additional "family chambers"); shower facilities to support grounds & activities.

  Grounds / External Amenities:  all-weather parking for 250 vehicles, list field(s), archery range(s), thrown weapons range, siege weapon range, horse arena & equestrian course with paddocks/stalls, coursing facility (all with covered galleries for observers); camping area (Ciard's design based on the "show arena" makes sense to me!) with additional sanitary facility arrangements, RV hook-ups, access to motels/hotels/alternate eateries.  Appropriate storm shelter arrangements for 150% of rated dining / camping capacity.

  GENERAL:  accommodation for non-electrical lighting *in addition to* modern lighting; state-of-the-art fire/smoke detection and control / safety systems; fully-zoned climate control within the hall taking advantage of ground water source heat pump & gas heat.  At least partial supply of energy requirements from solar, wind, methane generation, and other "renewable" / recycled sources (as long as we're dreaming, DREAM BIG...)
Gee.  I have *probably* left something out...

Adieu, Amra / ttfn - Mike / Pax ... Kihe

Mike C. Baker
SCA: al-Sayyid Amr ibn Majid al-Bakri al-Amra, F.O.B, OSCA
"Other": Reverend Kihe Blackeagle PULC (the DreamSinger Bard)
Opinions? I'm FULL of 'em
alt. e-mail: KiheBard at hotmail.com  OR MCBaker216 at cs.com 
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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chass" <chass at allegiance.tv>
To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 1:05 PM
Subject: [Ansteorra] LAND (Back to the Oroginal discussion)
> How large would one consider a nice feast hall? Now before you say "To seat 
> 250 people" I mean in Feet lol not people.
> 
> Charinthalis Del Sans of the portable Chariot
> Chass Brown
> Muddeler of Mead, Ailement of Ale and Whiner of wine
> Honorable Recruiter of house of the Red Shark, Have you seen my Belaying Pin?