Full Bob Ten-design.

Hi all, First of all I would like to thank everybody who has contributed to this site who's probably the best and most accurate studio-building reference material available. I already spend hours of reading through this site and I've learned a lot about the whole thing but I still need some advice.... I'll building a new pro-(at least I'll try) studio from scratch in my backyard. Now being the in the first stage of this project, I'm cutting all the trees and bushes and would like to start with digging and the fundaments of the building in a month. I have some restrictions: *The studio has to be builded halfway into the ground so the building must not pass the 1,50m of height. *THe other dimensions are maximum 6m wide and 18m long with maybe the endpiece of the studio can be to 7m wide (see pic) *I have no need to isolate the studio from outside noise but I have to consider that my neighbour and my own house will be 20m away from the studio. *The control room must be as far away as possible from the two forementioned houses. *My budget is around the 10.000 euros. It's flexible if really needed. *I dont know if this of any importance but the studio will be right next some waterpassage. I need a :control room, live room and at least one vocalroom or booth all the rest is optional. I also would like to build a lounge with toilet (just big enough to be comfortable for two people) The purpose of this studio is multifunctional because I'm starting my SAEcourse in september and for all genres going from the quiet jazz to the heavy heavy rock and metalsounds. I've already made some plans but a friend/proffesional studio-owner told me to just ask your advice from scratch. I'll build it all by my myself with friends/proffesional constructionbuilders who's keeping an eye on my work so I can save my money on the best material. I thank everybody in advance for reading this and take your time to look at my case. Sorry about the ortograph and the long post. Cheers Sergei

I forgot to tell :( , I will mostly need help about studiodesign and layout and how to put the rooms in the given area since I find enough information about all the other aspects of studiobuilding. Here are two sample-layouts I've made for fun while learning to work with sketchup. Nevermind the walltextures and corners etc.. I'm just trying to find a good roomplacement./ I will work on those corners and textures later. thanks again

hi, Few question(s)- Why are you restricted to that space. Is it just so you still have some back yard? Could you run it the other way along the back fence? I suppose I like layout 1# but I don't think your utilising the space. Also the control room walls is abit messy. I now your going to fix that.

Also is it professional in the sense that it should have a bathroom?

Hi, Thanks for taking time to answer and/or give comments. Yes I would like to have a nice piece of garden left over for myself and my dog. The back fence should be free because there's water behind it and we would like to integrate that water in our garden. There will be a toilet and kitchen sink available but no full option bathroom in the studiobuilding. Nice bathroom available in the house if really necesary. Meanwhile I tried a new layout for my rooms. Anyone any comment?

"I also would like to build a lounge with toilet (just big enough to be comfortable for two people)" :shock:

You are proposing to build a 100 square meter building for 10,000 Euro? I don't know about building costs in Europe, but it would cost 10 times that to build it in the US.

Xspace- :D Stuntbutt- Yes I was a little confused about the Euro thing. thought the aussie dollar must have went on a down turn. The control room in your last design is smaller but still a good size. Will tracking be your main income? Also can you post the skp file. ta

Yes I will build the outside building for less than 10.000euro, mainly because I do all of the work myself. Bricks and concrete don't cost that much over here. Proffesional workers are very expensive.

lilith_envy wrote:

The control room in your last design is smaller but still a good size. Will tracking be your main income?

Do you have other ideas or tips to enlarge the rooms? I'm not sure I know what you mean with tracking... is it just music-recording? If thats the case?... Yes this will be my main income. sorry for the communication and thanks for your time

With the last layout I tried to rotate the control room to have have one big rectangular base to build the studio upon but no communication between CR and LR was possible. apparently I'm losing quiet a lot of space this way... ALL feedback is welcome

Rather then trying to fit a whole lot of rectangles together end to end, you may have better luck fitting a bunch of rectangles inside a square building. Start out with a square an see if it can be broken down with all of your rooms inside.

Yes thats what I was hoping to get at with running the building the other way. The long hallway seems redundant. Tracking- Yes recording bands

Hi, thanks for the comments. @lilith envy: -backside of the backyard must be free (I checked the restrictions and permits of the city) -the long hallway is the only way to acces the LR and CR without disturbing eachother, I tried a few things with another hallway and replacing the door but always come on this long design. The only good thing about it, is that it can be used as a reverb room or isn't it? Ideally would be to have one small hallway with 3doors to acces each room separatly. @xSpace: -I followed your advice ant tried to make it fit in one big rectangular but always come with with a few problems. I CAN make it fit in the rectangular but I lose the vocal booth/extra space and/or communication with the LR. I really dont want the CR being smaller than it is now. Should I've stayed with my first design on the top of this topic? I've attached the last skp-design . THANKS AGAIN FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO HELP ME, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. cheers Sergei

Start out with a géométriques carrés and see if all of your rooms will fit inside.

I'm trying right now... Is it possible to use a vocal booth as a hallway and passage to the live room???

OK, here's my first attempt to fit all the room in one rectangular. thanks in advance for any comments/feedback

I also tried to make the studio as small as possible because I still don't know the city-restrictions and permits. I find this size of studio to small and the 5 doors next eachother is way to chaotic. Even if I'm not getting a permit to build a 100 square meter studio I'm thinking of take to risk anyway and pay the fine if they ever do a investigation on it. Here's the plan of an smaller studio :6x10m The larger ones who were posted before are 6,5 x 17m any comment or feedback is welcome although I hesitate if I didn't break one of the forum rules or there's not a lot of interest in this project. a good day to you all cheers S

Another small studio (6x10m) , It's a little bit better I think...

are there any comments on those designs?

Sorry for not getting any comments, sergei. I haven't got the time to study every proposed design here, but at a first glance your last design looks promising!

Thanks a lot for the comment but I'm just not self-secured enough yet to make such big desicions. That's why I need as much feedback as I can get. I try as much layouts as I can now because I want to begin this summer and want to be prepared for this big task. thanks again cheers S

Hi, A couple of quick comments. If you are going to partially bury this building have you considered plumbing drainage for your sink and toilet? Or will you have to use a pump? Have you checked the water table? can you get good drainage from around the building? You may wish to rotate the control room so that the front faces the live room. Bad sight lines will drive you crazy. Try to place the vocal booth also for clear sight lines with both the control room and the live room. Have fun! Steve

Hi, Thanks for the feedback. The waterissue should be no problem, I'll use a pump because of the distance and depth from the house and build a big concrete block where-in I'll build the studio to avoid any ground-humidity. My sightlines between ControlRoom and Vocalbooth and between Control Room and Live Room should be OK I think but I didn't manage to get any good view between Vocal Booth and Live ROom yet. Is this really so important? I know the engineer in control room has to see everyone...but I don't know how much I will record a band in the live room and a singer or amp in the vocal booth at the same time,,,,??? meanwhile I tried another design before I saw the last comments... thanks again for feedback, this is really helping me out. cheers S