Need feedback on new 24x26 studio layout

Hi everyone, Thanks in advance for any advice you can pass along on this. I am in the planning stage of building a new-construction studio in our backyard. The existing one-car garage will be torn down and a new concrete slab poured. Shell will have to be built as a 3-car garage, including actual garage doors (on the studio side facing the alley). Total size of the structure will be 26.5 ft wide by 24 ft. deep by 15 ft. high (gable roof on top). The depth can be increased from 24 ft. by a foot or two if it will make a big improvement in the layout, but the width is the maximum I can go on my property. Budget is $50 to $60K. We are in an urban residential neighborhood in Vancouver, BC, but the site is bordered by paved alleys used by trash trucks for pickup so the closest residential structure is about 40 feet away, most are 50 feet and beyond (see photo). I'm more concerned about noise and rumble from cars using the adjacent alleys, not to mention the weekly garbage trucks. This will be a small commercial studio used for tracking and mixing. No metal bands (getting too old for that...) so the loudest tracking level in the studio will be your "average" levels for a drum kit, bass and guitar, around 110-115. Lounge will occasionally double as an extra iso area for a guitar amp, horn player, etc. I opted on keeping the studio area open as opposed to splitting it into two rooms since I'm assuming I'll get a better sounding space overall, which is more important to me than having another isolated area. I can always put up a few gobos if I need to isolate the right side, it's only about 4ft. across at the narrowest spot. Most frequent instruments tracked will be vocals, percussion, acoustic guitar, cello, piano, electric guitar & drums. Don't like using the vocal "phonebooth", I'd just set up a few gobos behind the vocalist in the main room. I adapted the control room layout from one of John's SAE designs...using flush mounted Event 20/20bas monitors, and would like it to be 5.1 surround capable when I add more speakers in a year or two. The building will have some kind of ventilation/split HVAC system, that's TBD (still reading Rod Gervais' book on that subject), and hardwood flooring throughout. So, on to the questions: • Does anything stick out as problematic or just plain wrong so far on this floor layout? • I'd like to have windows (approx. 3 ft. x 2 ft.) in the rear of the control room in the designated spots...is that do-able? I really enjoy having natural light available. They'd have heavy velour curtains that could be closed during mixing since they're in the direct line of fire of the speakers. I have one window that size in my current mix room and isolation has been fine for the most part (a little outside noise gets in when someone's mowing our lawn, for instance). I only get to 85-90db for short periods when mixing, and the windows would face our house and the neighbor's garage. • The storage closet on the right in the studio area seemed like the best place to put a mic locker since it would also help keep bass from building up in that corner...any better locations or orientations for that? • Is pouring an isolated slab pretty much a given since I'm concerned about rumble noise from the adjacent alleys? Thanks!

I am working on a similar space, roughly 22' x 26' and as much as I like the layout here drawn up by Gulfo... http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9088 I may end up with something similar to your idea. The main reason being that I would like to incorporate the 1/2" thick tempered glass I have, which cannot be cut, and needs to be horizontally installed, as I don't think I'll be able to have ceilings high enough to accommodate panes higher than 8 feet. I like the wood floor idea, as my current area is all carpeted and I think I'm losing a lot of freqencies in the floor. Good luck and keep us posted!

Any comments?

Mike, One thing I've noticed on this forum is that if you've got a solid proven design and a grasp on the fundamentals as you have, then you won't get a lot of replies! The windows are an obvious issue, but it sounds like you're aware of that and you've weighed it up against the need for natural light. They maintain symmetry at least, which is good, but you'll get sub-20 millisecond reflections from them at the mix position. You may find that you need hinged/removable absorbers over them during critical mixing. Are you sure you can't move them?

Yes, no, and yes. As Adam wrote, you have it right. Andre

Good to hear...thanks!