RLS Company Profile

INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY
AND
ARCHITECTURE
About Us
[ tech • no • lo • gy ] The practical application of knowledge.
“Our experience with the RLS team has proven that a
partnership can be formed with like minded consultants,
bringing the highest level of professionalism and
service to the design process, resulting in a 10 year
working relationship on Finance, Technology and
Entertainment companies.”
– Michael Garcia, Principal, Garcia + Francica Architects
RLS develops creative, cost-effective, and lasting designs for Data Centers, Voice / Data /
Video Networks, Audiovisual Systems, and Media Facilities.
For over 25 years, we have provided our Clients with solutions for systems and
infrastructure that employ a mastery of technology with technical program
management to achieve successful project implementation. Combining expertise in
program management, powerful budget modeling, detailed construction documents,
and thorough construction administration, we incorporate technology designs into
buildings that help our Clients' operations to succeed.
We work for building architects, corporations, entertainment companies, educational
institutions, and government. Our portfolio includes Data Centers, Broadcast Radio
and TV Facilities, WebCast Studios, Distance Learning Centers, Film Screening Rooms,
Labs, Corporate Campuses, Universities, Government Institutions, and most other
facilities that house bipeds and inanimate objects.
Expertise
Technology Program Management
Our command of technology and the construction process keeps both “green field” and
“fork-lift upgrade” projects on track, on budget, and aligned with strategic goals. We provide
goal definition, cost control, competitive vendor selection, and implementation oversight.
Technology Infrastructure
Our infrastructure expertise encompasses over 30 million square feet of structured wiring
systems and numerous Data Centers. If your project involves voice, data or video, chances are
we’ve probably designed something just like it.
Network Design
We design powerful, secure, and resilient voice, data, and video networks. We develop tools that
aid our Clients in evaluating the functional and cost benefits of emerging technologies
such as VoIP telephony, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and wireless networks.
Audiovisual Systems
Our 25 years of experience enables us to provide unbiased recommendations aligned with your
requirements. Our portfolio includes Auditoriums, Conference Rooms, Libraries, Theaters, and
Distance Learning Classrooms.
Media Facilities
We integrate all aspects of facilities design – acoustic and architectural design, power
distribution, HVAC, lighting design, and low voltage cabling design. We have designed
hundreds of Recording Studios, Radio Stations, TV and WebCast Studios, and Video Post
Production Facilities that exhibit predictable performance.
“RLS was a true partner to my IT group and facilities
team. They not only had a superb understanding of
technology and the construction process, but they
were our advocates to the rest of the design and
construction team.”
– Lee Hsiao, Information Services Manager, Namco
Select Projects
“Their rigor, experience and
professionalism provided
significant value... I would not
hesitate to recommend RLS to
other Companies and look
forward to working with them
again in the future.”
– John Koenig, Former CIO of
Lucasfilm and Current Director
of Technology for Lawrence
Livermore Labs
Broadcast
Entertainment
KKSF, KYLD, KMEL, K101, KCMG, KPIX Newsroom, KTEH
Public Television Digital Systems Upgrade, NetApp
WebCast Studio & Demonstration Facility, UC Berkeley
School of News & Journalism
ESC Entertainment, Disney Vacation Club Presentation
Centers, ABC Executive Conference Center, Namco US
HQ Facility
Civic
St. Francis Memorial Hospital Technology Infrastructure
Upgrade and Surgery and Emergency Departments,
Hospice of Marin Corporate HQ, Contra Costa Health
Services Data Center, UCSF Parnassus Campus
Technology Study
State of California San Francisco Civic Center Complex,
County of Alameda Server Room, Mystic Seaport
Technology Standards Consulting
Corporate Campus
Lucasfilm’s Letterman Digital Arts Center, Franklin
Templeton Bay Meadows HQ, Intuit Mountain View
Campus
Data Centers
AboveNet, BroadVision, Barnes & Noble (bn.com),
Lucasfilm Ltd., NetObjects, Fair Isaac & Company
Education
SFSU Campus Technology Infrastructure Upgrade, San
Francisco School District Technology Master Plan,
Stanford University Wallenberg Center for Learning
Healthcare
Mid & High Rise
Wells Fargo Bank 33-story Corporate Offices &
Server Room, Adobe Systems Worldwide HQ,
Microsoft Silicon Valley Corporate HQ, Sony Northwest
Operations Center
Religious
San Francisco Chinese Alliance Church, Community
Presbyterian Church of Cupertino, Ephesians Church
of San Francisco, Saint Beulah Church of San
Francisco, San Francisco Christian Center, Sonoma
Christian Church
Highlights
Letterman Digital Arts Center
Located in The Presidio National Park, the four-building, nearly one million
square foot Letterman Digital Arts Center showcases RLS' multi-disciplinary
technology expertise.
As Prime Technology Consultant on the project, we managed the planning
and design of multiple technology systems. Our involvement encompassed
conducting needs assessments, complete design, preparation of construction
documents, bidding and procurement, construction administration, and
commissioning.
Client: Lucasfilm Ltd. Location: The Presidio, CA
We developed an extensive Technical Program Document, created and
maintained a detailed consolidated IT budget, and facilitated a competitive
vendor selection process which ultimately affected a significant cost savings
to the Client. In designing the network we also helped the Client make key
technology and critical procurement decisions.This effort included the review
of VoIP, TDM/PBX telephony, 10 Gb Ethernet, and the use of Wireless LAN
technologies in a security-sensitive environment.
Our scope included:
• Structured Wiring System
• Data Center
• Audiovisual and Broadband Systems
• WebCast Studio
• Converged Voice over IP/ Data / Video / Wireless Network
Renderings: View by View
Highlights
Namco US Headquarters
Working with Garcia + Francica Architects, RLS was selected as the Prime
Technology Consultant for the A/E Team tasked with designing the new
headquarters facility for this Interactive Video Game Engineering company.
The facilities included several “technology intensive” spaces, such as a Server
Room, IDF spaces, Labs, and Multimedia Conference Rooms.
RLS provided design, consulting and project management associated with
the Server Room, Structured Wiring System, Voice and Data Network, and
Audiovisual Systems. Our work also included the creation of a Technical
Program Document, RFP preparation for a Converged Network featuring full
VoIP implementation, administration of the Vendor selection process, and
construction administration of all technical components.
Client: Namco Hometek Location: Santa Clara, CA
The Audiovisual System featured various rooms that included Crestron
control of numerous AV sources, computer interfaces, multiple gaming
consoles, motorized projector lifts, and 7.1 surround sound. Room types
included conference rooms, development lounges, a boardroom, and
two reception area lobbies with custom curved projection screens utilizing
geometric corrective projectors.
Highlights
BroadVision Worldwide Headquarters
BroadVision’s corporate headquarters, located within the Redwood Shores
Development, encompasses nearly 600,000 square feet of high-technology
office space. RLS fostered BroadVision’s mission by providing design and
installation oversight for a new voice / data cable plant and infrastructure network systems.
Additionally, RLS was responsible for design and specification of all building
Audiovisual systems (a 1.8 million dollar budget), and a new WebCast Studio
Facility supporting BroadVision University and Corporate Communications.
Complete scope encompassed:
Client: BroadVision Location: Redwood City, CA
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Voice / Data Cable Plant Design and Specification
Data Center Design
PBX Center Design
Main Network Distribution Center Design
WebCast Studio Supporting BroadVision University
Audiovisual and Broadband Systems
Construction Administration and Installation Oversight
Highlights
Sony Northwest Operations Center
As a testimony to the lasting value of our technology solutions: In 1991 we
designed all of the building technology systems within Sony’s 650,000 sq. ft.
facility and brought fiber to the desktops of nearly 3,000 users. Over a
decade later, this infrastructure is still in place and has served a myriad of
advancements in technology.
Scope Encompassed:
Client: Sony Corporation of America Location: San Jose, CA
• Building cable tray and cable routing design
• Communications cable plant design for 1400+ voice / data stations
• Audiovisual Systems design consulting for 10,000 sq. ft. Conference
Center, including video conferencing room and systems
• Building MATV and AV systems design
• Signal distribution, lighting design, and custom control software
for the Employee Electronics Store
• Off-air signal distribution for the Consumer Service Center
• Design of Security Systems control console
• Complete construction documents for an Audio Lab / Studio
Highlights
James H. Clark Center
Stanford’s James H. Clark Center is home to the experimental Bio-X Program,
which connects biology and medicine by allowing scholars from the
Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Information Technology disciplines to
perform collaborative research in one facility.
This forward-looking program demanded a facility that would utilize the best
of today’s technology to engender interdisciplinary learning. RLS supported
world-renowned architect Foster & Partners by creating integrated
Audiovisual systems that complement the award-winning building design –
and that ultimately help academics share information efficiently. In essence,
RLS designed systems that blended with the architecture and exceeded
client expectations for performance.
Client: Stanford University Location: Palo Alto, CA
The project involved the construction of three, 3-story buildings comprising
the Clark Center. Our effort on the project encompassed the integration of
Audiovisual Technology Systems within an Auditorium, Classrooms, Labs,
and Conference Rooms.
Highlights
Flora Lamson Hewlett Library
In the words of its President, James A. Donahue, the Graduate Theological
Union (GTU) was created out of the belief that "the future of religious
renewal and theological education in this world depends on the willingness
of faith traditions to come together in the midst of differences."
GTU's Flora Lamson Hewlett Library is one of the largest theological libraries
in the United States, possessing over 410,000 volumes and 285,000 microforms and other media. Necessitated by a growing collection and a demand
for current technological resources, RLS was called upon to recommend and
integrate technology systems within the renovated library.
We assisted the GTU in this endeavor by providing new Library Information
Technology Systems including the design and engineering of:
•
•
•
•
Client: Graduate Theological Union Location: Berkeley, CA
Voice / Data Cable Plant Infrastructure
Data Center
Telephone System ( including Unified Messaging)
Audiovisual Presentation Systems supporting a Community
Training Outreach Program
Highlights
KKSF, KYLD, KMEL, K101, KCMG
Following the acquisition of several Broadcast Radio properties within the
San Francisco and Los Angeles markets, Clear Channel Corporation undertook
a campaign to consolidate the physical facilities of these properties.
The consolidation not only offered Clear Channel the opportunity to reduce
operating costs by bringing together multiple properties within one physical
location, but also provided the opportunity to upgrade each station with
current digital production and Internet broadcast transmission.
Client: Clear Channel Location: San Francisco & Los Angeles, CA
RLS supported Executive Architects Hornberger + Worstell, Inc. by providing
interior architectural, acoustic, and lighting design, as well as technical
systems integration for the On Air, News, and Production Studios, and the
Engineering areas within each of the stations.
We helped Clear Channel reduce overall operating costs by designing a
Master Engineering Control Room within both the San Francisco and Los
Angeles facilities. Since the Master Control Room centralized technical
equipment serving the multiple stations located within each of the facilities,
a single engineering team could support up to four stations. This enhanced
operational efficiency and overall cost savings.
Highlights
Zion Theater
Combining expertise in architecture, acoustics, and systems design, we
created the Zion Theater at ESC Entertainment. The Theater is made up of a
film and digital video Screening Room and a Projection Booth.
The Screening Room is used primarily for viewing dailies, work prints, and
pre-release 35mm films, such as The Matrix Reloaded, which was produced in
the new facility. We set out to design a space for film viewing that would
enable special effects designers to view critical elements of their created
effects in an environment replicating a commercial movie theater.
Not only is the finished product technically suited toward special effects
designers with its comfortable seating for 40-50 people and its high quality
surround sound audio playback, Zion Theater is an ideal stage for presenting
ESC’s finished product to current and prospective Clients.
Client: ESC Entertainment Location: Alameda, CA
Highlights
CSU East Bay Distance Learning Center
Cal State East Bay (formerly known as CSU Hayward) called upon RLS to
design a Distance Learning Center as part of the reconstruction of the Lower
Mall within the campus library.
Creating a sophisticated Distance Learning Center requires unparalleled
coordination between architecture and technology. Camera angles, sight
lines, projection image geometries, acoustics, seating, and audiovisual
components all must be impeccably integrated.
RLS supported CSU East Bay’s executive architect, VBN, by providing interior
architectural, acoustic, and technical systems design for this truly visionary
center. By creating a 3-dimensional model of the new facility, RLS helped
the University’s Director of Distance Learning visualize the educational
environment he strove to create.
Client: CSU East Bay Location: Hayward, CA
Highlights
Building 8 WebCast Production Facility
E-learning, or Internet-enabled learning, is core to Cisco’s philosophy of
delivering educational content to their employees and their Clients. The
WebCast Production Facility was critical to this mission by creating a method
for broadcasting live content to the Internet.
Client: Cisco Systems Location: San Jose, CA
RLS was tasked with designing the entire Television Facility, which
encompassed four separate Production Control Room / Studio areas, a
Studio / Lab, an Edit Suite, an Audio Control Room, a Narration Studio,
and a Compression Lab that are all electronically interconnected via a
common Master Control Lab. The equipment complement in the Master
Control Lab and Production Control Rooms ensured easy program
interchange with other production groups and service bureaus - both
internal and external to Cisco.
Working with Devcon Construction, RLS provided architectural and acoustic
design, technical power system consulting, lighting design, and HVAC noise
control consulting for this sophisticated facility.
Principals
Randy Sparks
After graduating from SFSU with a degree in Industrial Design, Randy began his career by developing an expertise in acoustics, lighting design, HVAC
noise control, technical power distribution systems, and interior architecture. Following his chance encounter and ensuing apprenticeship with Jim
Augustus (a.k.a Master of Network Infrastructure) he added structured wiring system design to his knowledge base.
As the founder of RLS, Randy has leveraged this interdisciplinary expertise to help constantly position us for the next wave of technology, and the
integration of new technologies within architecture. He has been the lead on hundreds of projects over the last 25 years, including the Letterman Digital
Arts Center, Wells Fargo Bank's 333 Market Street High-rise, the SFSU Joint Library, St. Francis Memorial Hospital, KKSF, KYLD, KMEL, K101, KITS, KCMG,
KTEH, KPIX, Cisco Internet Broadcast Studios, and other technically complex facilities.
Jim Augustus
Ever since that "chance encounter" with Mr. Sparks in 1991, Jim has been the principal designer of over 30 million square feet of technology infrastructure.
Using science and his wits, Mr. Augustus has gained a reputation for playing the role of MacGyver on many of our more complex projects. He seems to be
able to provide creative solutions to almost any challenge we come across.
In his prior life, he spent 15 years in integrated circuit design before moving on to DEC's Western Research Lab, working in Ethernet Development. He uses
this expertise to design and oversee the installation of world-class industrial computing infrastructure.
Jim's portfolio includes infrastructure and Data Center design for the Letterman Digital Arts Center, Sony's Northwest Operations Center, and the Adobe
World Headquarters in San Jose. When he's not thinking up new ways to effectively deliver photons and electrons, Jim hangs out at the Yosemite Sugar
Pine Mountain Railroad where he is the Chief Engineer.
Clients
A&E Architects : ABC – American Broadcasting Company : Adaptec : Adobe Systems, Inc. : Air Systems, Inc. : AKG Corporation : Alameda County : Amdahl : American Baptist Homes : Apple Computer, Inc. : Applied
Materials : Architectronix : Ariba Technologies : Ashby – Wells Design : AT&T : Atalla : Atari, Inc. : Atlanta Productions : Baker & McKenzie Law Firm : Barclay’s Bank : Barrett Group Architecture : Barnes&Noble.com : BART
BAVC : Bay Records : BCCI Construction : BDM Construction : Benham Capital Management : Bentley Company : Bill Burch Productions : Bill Graham Presents : Blake-Drucker Architects : Blue Shield : Bogas Productions
Borland International : Brayer Elecric : Breene Kerr Productions : Brewer Fraser Holland : BroadVision : Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP : Burton Peek Edwards Architect : C/NET : California Café : California Girl Fitness
California State University, Fresno : California State University, Hayward : California State University, Los Angeles : California State University, Monterey Bay : California State University, San Francisco : California State
University, San Jose : Carrasco and Associates AIA : CAS Architects : Cathedral of Faith : Centerspace Dance Studios : Chadron State College : Chalk Hill Winery : Clear Channel Broadcasting : Channing House : Charles
Schwab : Chevron Corporation : Chevy’s Restaurants : Cine Rent West : Cisco Systems : City Aerobics : City of Cupertino : City of Fremont : City of Santa Rosa : The Coca-Cola Company : College of the Redwoods
Community Presbyterian Church : Compaq : Contra Costa Health Services Department : Cotati-Rohnert Park School District : Cushman & Wakefield : Cypress Semiconductor : Darcy, Masius, Benten, & Bowles, Inc. : Del
Rio Country Club : Dennis Kobza Associates : DES Architects : Devcon Construction, Inc. : Different Fur Recording : Digidesign : DEC : Discovery Bay : Disney : Dominican College of Marin : DPR Construction : EDITEL /
SF : Ekona Architects : El Camino Hospital : El Dorado Saloon Nightclub : Ephesian Church : Episcopal Homes : EPRI : ESC Entertainment : Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund : Evolutia : Excite@Home : Exodus
Communications : Fair Isaac and Company, Inc. : Fast Forward Productions : Fee Munson Ebert Architects : Fife's Nightclub : First Baptist Church of Modesto : First Baptist Homes : First Nationwide Bank : Flessing &
Flessing : Focused Productions : Foothill College : Forbes.com : Franklin Templeton : Garcia + Francica Architecture : Gary Lee and Partners : General Magic : Gensler & Associates : Genuity : Gerson Bakar and Associates
Gift Center : Globo Brazil : Glory Records : Grand Lake Gardens : Green's Restaurant : Greg Choy Architects : GTE : Hank Smith Music : Harmony Stereo : Hathaway Dinwiddie : Healtheon : Henry Kaiser : Hensel Phelps
Hewlett Packard : Home Church : Hoover Institute : Horodko Sound Studios : Hospice of Marin Foundation : Hornberger + Worstell Architects : I-Beam Nightclub : IBM : IDEO : IDT : Industrial Light & Magic : Intel
Corporation : Interior Architects, Inc. : Interval Research Corp Intuit, Inc. : James Lick Middle School : Jewish Home for the Aged : Jonathan Cain : JP Morgan : K101 Radio : KALX Radio : KCMG Radio : KICU TV : KITS Radio
KKSF Radio : KMEL Radio : KPIX TV : KTEH Public Television : KTSF TV : Kwan/Henmi Architects : KYLD Radio : KZST Radio : L&S Hallmark Construction : La Cañada Design Group : Lam Research Inc. : LaSalle Partners, Inc.
Lewiston State College Arena : Lexington Group L.L.C. : Live Oak Studio : Long Meadow Development : Longs Drug Stores : Look Model Agency : Los Angeles Unified School District : Lucasfilm Ltd. : LVL Advertising
Mack Architects : Magic Shoppe Studios : Major Ponds Bar : Mancini Duffy Architects : Marcy Li Wong Architects : Mark V Productions : Marriott Corporation : Marty Zwick & Assoc. : McGraw-Hill Interactive : McKesson
HBOC : Merle Haggard : Metromedia Fiber Network : Michael Zucker Associates : Michelle Alioto : Microsoft : Mill Valley School District : Minoru Yamasaki Architects : Mirage Hotel - Las Vegas : Monterey Bay Aquarium
Research Institute : Moon Recording : Morgan Hill Country School : Morgan Stanley : Motorola : Mystic Seaport : Namco Hometek : NASA National Semiconductor : NBBJ Architects : NetConstruct Corporation
NetObjects, Inc. : Network : Appliance: Network Equipment Technologies (NET) : New Life Broadcasting : Nichols, Melburg & Rossetto Architects : Nilmeyer/Nilmeyer AIA : NorthPoint Communications : Novell Novocom
Onset Venture : Open TV : Oral-B : Oregon Catholic Press : Otari Corporation : OTR Studios : Pacific Bell : Pacific Gas & Electric : Pacific Stock Exchange : PAIX : PDI DreamWorks : PeopleSoft : Peter Buffet : PFAU Architecture
Philips : Philo TV : Piedmont Gardens : Pilot Networks : Pizza Time Theatre : Quezada Architecture : Quokka Sports : R+E Architecture : RadioMail : Rancho Cotate High School : Randall Junior Museum : Rearden Studios
Reel Grobman : RFI Enterprises : RMW Architecture : Robert Berke Sound : Robert Louis Stevenson School : RPG Diffusor Systems, Inc. : Rudolph & Sletten : Russian Hill Recording : Ryan Associates : SF American Institute
of Architects : S.F. Christian Center : Saint Francis Memorial Hospital : San Francisco Art Institute : San Francisco Chinese Alliance Church : San Francisco Film Studios : San Francisco Foundation San Francisco Production
Group : San Francisco Unified School District : Santa Clara University : Santa Rosa Junior College : SAP : SBC Laboratories, Inc. : Scitor Corporation : Second Church of Christ Scientist : Seimens SelectQuote SFP
Shaklee Corporation : Showplace Square Group : Silicon Graphics : Simco Group : Sing Tao Daily Skidmore, Owings & Merrill : SKS Investments : SMDG Architects : SMWM Architects : Snazelle Films SNP : Sodehxo
Solectron Corp. : Song Writers Studio : Sonoma Christian Church : Sonoma County Fairgrounds : Sonoma State University : Sony Corporation of America : Sound Storage Records : Southside Church of Christ : Spieker
Partners : St. Beulah Church : Stanford University : State Compensation Insurance Fund : Stein Architects : Steve Dobbins Productions : Steve Perlman : Studio156 : Studio Z : Sun Microsystems : Sunrise Properties
Superior Assembly : Suzie Buffett Symmetry Aerobic Studios : Taco Bell Corporation : Tandem Computers, Inc. : Tehiyah Day School : Telluride Studios : The Gap : The Golf Channel : The Pacific Penninsula Group
The Sound Service : The Stereo Store : The Waterford Group : Theatre On The Square : Thurgood Marshall High School : Time Warner Interactive : TLA Productions : TLCD Architecture : Tokyo TV Trammel Crow
Unique Homes : University of California, Berkeley : University of California,San Francisco : University of San Francisco : University of the Pacific : Valley Architects : Valley Credit Union : Varitel : VBN Architects
Visioneering Design Company : Warren Simmons : Washington West Hospital : WebTV : Wells Fargo Bank : West Four, Inc.: Wiens/Carlstrom Architects : Winterland : Xilinx : Yoshie's Nite Club : Zwick Architecture...
RLS
San Francisco
1099 23rd Street
Suite 15
San Francisco
CA 94107
V 415.401.7600
F 415.401.7611
www.rls.com
info@rls.com