new studio in warehouse, any design ideas

Hello, This is my first post, and probably not the last as I have a project i want to improve upon. There is 3 rooms 7m X 11m with plenty of hight. I am trying to squeeze in 2 control rooms and various live/rehearsal rooms with tie lines between the control rooms for varied multi uses. Its in a business park with th nearest sleeping neighbours about 500m away ,but I would still be sound proofing as the unit will be used as a rehearsal and recording studio at the same time. First things first, I want to get the layout and wall angles right. I have tried a few layouts have posted them, I have started to use the sketchup prog and will be converting them when iI find out how. Thanks in advance for any help Steve

hi, ive added a couple of pics for reference. I have a more if needed. thanks again Steve

I will try to answer myself some questions ( in particular oprder) Ive been asking myself!!! 1. I was wanting 2 control rooms as I already have Analogue studio equipment (was all in a flat and is now boxed away in storage), and also want to have a digital 5.1 control room. 2. I will be building most of this alone or with friends and family. I have a bit constuction experience as I have nearly finished renovating a cottage. 3. I have the budget to finish one section (probably do room3/section first) and get up and running. 4.Im taking what I have so far to the local planning dept.today, to see what issues they have. 5. Have experience working in Studios, not going into this blind. 6. Sent of for Rods book last night. I cant remenber anymore just yet, need more coffee I think. Steve

maybe something similar (layout). this way the big room has the big doors (via an airlock/isobooth) and the reheasal area on bottom has doors. this clusters to hall and office space. somewhat still less than optimal flow for rehearsals though. possibly putting both CR in center? but hallways eat space...

Glen, Thanks for the help. I like the big room big doors approach. and like you pointed out with rehearsals you dont want to much passing through other areas The first points with the building standards officer I saw today was fire exits. Over here you can have one room with a door then your out of an exit or another means of escape. The building is also listed, cant alter outside apart from reinstate/block up windows. Probably would have to slide open big doors when in use. So if i have to lose some space for corridors, I might be able to break up recording spaces in the process. Im off to twiddle some more Steve

if I read you right, you can be in an interior room with a door, but once you exit that room, you have to be able to exit immediately through the next room? if so, unless there are no doors on the back or side, you should be ok. only the office/bath/lounge cluster and far rehearsal room seem to have to cross 2 rooms to reach an exit. maybe egress windows? they seem low enough.

I think I would have the big outside double doors open into an airlock/hallway. Then have doors that open to each of the rehearsal rooms from there. Then, the single door on the other end of the building can lead to control rooms and offices.

Glen, Ill check the standards book I have to see if we are can have that as a means of escape. I originally only wanted 1 control room, the different stages of development hasnt changed i.e build rehearsal rooms and start using them, spending more time on the studio build. Steve

what options do you have to put one or two doors on the back wall? that would potentially eliminate a lot of wasteful hallway space (as far as egress rules go). you could build 3 rehearsal rooms with the intention the middle one eventually be converted. this way if you find the money from the rehearsal space is good and/or the studio is the right level for what you can do, then you haven't lost anything. if the rehearsal rooms are designed to have good room modes, you have options later. this would probably let you focus more on getting the main studio built. I see in the first drawing you're positing some polydiffusers. that might work in the big room as well since you'll have a lot of space.

thats the general idea, but to log the application with the building standards i will have to have detailed drawings/layout done. I take it you mean 3 rooms with the big one included, ie 2 in 1 section and the big one in another. and maybe squeeze to control rooms in the middle section. I already have analgue gear (neve desk etc )for one control room and want a digital 5.1 studio eventually as well. steve

i was thinking in one of the side sections you'd have 3 rehearsal spaces. then whether or not the CR or big room were in the center or side is TBD. I was thinking if you were planning on putting in windows you should try to keep as much like coming in as possible into your rooms. maybe on the small entry door side run the hallway up to the back like jwl suggested and that faces into each of the rehearsal rooms. the hall would have lots of light and you could put some windows on the rehearsal rooms to let in some light (drapes for those who like it dark/privacy). if the hall is wide enough (determined by best room mode dimensions) that can double as lounge space.

Like you said, I could make the middle room a control room in the fuure. Steve

yeah, i think that works... i was busy trying to sketch something with room mode ratios but i like yours better... the reason i reverted to your original idea of the big room in the middle is the interior walls and door positions. with the CR on the side, the door and windows become an overall view into the big room. with the CR in the middle you might have to adjust a bit and your view lines may be less. Q: can you re-position the bathroom and kitchen area?

yeh, maybe with the control room directly facing the big room, with space at the back for corridor. where youve got the rehearsal spaces jioned there is a doorway into next space, i will probably want to use that. I wil find out if toilets can be moved, but I dont see why not as I been told as long as it impoves the inside of the building, I can do it. steve

tricky to get 3 proper rooms into the rehearsal side plus the hall. if you could convert the one window next to the left-hand interior wall into a door, you could have the hall straight and re-enlarge the small room.

tep, looking good. Ive used your drawing as im still getting my head around sketchup. I think losing the small room and fitting in an office( good room modes ) with a hatch to check in people would be better to start with. There is a door Ive pointed out that would be good to keep. the actual dimensions are 3 rooms at 10m 92cm X 7m 12cm each from the wall with the doors, the distance to the centre of the control room window is 4m 74cm. with a span 1530cm. do you think its possable to keep the control room symetrical. Steve

its possible if you use a regular width door there to add access into that live room. that would keep things prett much balanced. let me try another sketch and see if its closer. my question about the window -> door convert is you could then line of the rehearsal rooms along that outside wall with the hall straight down the interior wall. I think converting the first room into your office is probably a good idea. I'll include it on the next draw so you can visualize it better.

Ill try remeber what i said, yep too tricky, could change small rehearsal intop office with good modes for future. with a hatch at the entrace for checking in out etc.

I think having access to toilets should work. building regs says if you move them they must be disabled toilets, ill get sizes required for that.

here's the idea with replacing the single window with a door. keep the bigger one for loading into the office/rehearsal room but have the new door for main access into the rehearsal space.

I like it, I will ask tomorrow, as the building is listed, I cant touch the outside. but you never know till you ask. thanks steve

keep in mind you're removing the lower bricks in a window space so it shouldn't have an impact on stability... maybe re-stack outside to door to add a short wall. of course check though... nothing worse than pulling out that single non-load bearing set of bricks only to find out it causes the building to fall over. :o

Hi Glen 1. Right, I can put a door where you sugested but it requires planning permission which can take 2 to 6 months (cant wait that long)- so I will go with the plan that has the office to the right of the entrance, if and when I want to convert this section into studio B. I remove office and build control room where the you had the extra rehearsal room. I would have had plenty of time to have appliedfor permissionto knock extra fire escape. 2. Have requesed to the authority to clarify if I need a change of use as we dont think they are correct, if we get away with it, all i need is a building warrent which can take 4 weeks. 3. After speaking to the Building Standards Officer, he sugested I submit a single drawing with lodging fee (£650) then I will get some feedback, alter the drawing to thier satisfaction, then submit all further copies. 4. Spent a good 25hrs last week in threads, actually had a great time and Now have Rods Book 5.So, now we have rough layout, anyone have any suggestions for actual room wall position/acoustics. Steve

sounds like a plan...

Thanks for that zip, great help. points room by room 1. dont thing there should be big glass doors on reheasal room. sound leakage, privacy, and expense. 2. All escape corridors widths have to be 1200mm, door widths 850mm. office could then be bigger 3. machine room, double its size and door on other side. everything else looks dandy. Am still learning that sketchup prog and reading Rods book. Had a meeting with my drywaller friend yesterday, bought him lots of drinks and he agreed to help erect steel studs/gyproc the whole place. Tom has drywalled studio's before and plays very load guitar, so understands isolation etc. good guy too.