Building a control room in a 'square' room

[Paulus87]

Hi guys,

Very early planning stage - I had designed a complete studio which had excellent ratios and a great layout but life changes and now I need to start from scratch in a new building. So, before I go ahead and continue with my design would this work? I've never designed a control room in a square before and I know it's not ideal.

The reason I chose to do a layout like this is because there's a stream running at an angle next to the plot of land. There's an existing rectangular outbuilding (at the bottom of my pic) which i'd like to convert into a live room and then add on the control room which is a square with a cut off corner. It's around 35 square meters, but I might have to decrease the size to 30 square meters which should still be fairly good for a control room.

I've drawn in a rough bass trap in the rear corner, would I also need to add bass traps in the other 2 90 degree corners or can I find a way to leave them as they are to maximise space?

Thanks a lot

[Soundman2020]

So, before I go ahead and continue with my design would this work? I've never designed a control room in a square before and I know it's not ideal.

With that shape, what you are basically doing is something known as a "corner control room", facing across the diagonal of the room with one corner "cut off". That pretty much has to be square in order to be symmetrical. There's no problem with that, provided that it is done correctly. I have designed a couple of those myself, and they can work out well.

The reason I chose to do a layout like this is because there's a stream running at an angle next to the plot of land.

... implying that you'd have a nice view, and giving you a good reason to put a window in the front "cut-off" wall! If you wanted to, that could work out nicely.

It's around 35 square meters, but I might have to decrease the size to 30 square meters which should still be fairly good for a control room.

Either way, it's fine. Specs such as ITU BS-1116-3 and EBU Tech-3276 call for a minimum of 20m2 floor area for a stereo room, and 30m2 minimum for a multi-channel room (5.1, 7.1, etc). And even then, it is still possible to go smaller than that. So you have plenty of space there, for a good control room.

I've drawn in a rough bass trap in the rear corner, would I also need to add bass traps in the other 2 90 degree corners or can I find a way to leave them as they are to maximise space?

Your rear-corner bass trap could probably be larger than that, and yes, I would certainly consider adding more bass trapping to that room. The other two vertical corners are definitely options, but so are all the horizontal corners.

Also, bass traps do not reduce the acoustic size of the room: they only reduce the visual size. Bass traps actually increase the acoustic size, from one point of view.

If you are looking to get the best possible room you can have, then I'd suggest soffit-mounting your speakers, and using the areas above and below the actual soffit area for more bass trapping. I'd also suggest angled "slot-wedge" devices on the side walls, and a large hard-backed cloud under the ceiling, in addition to the abundant bass trapping.

- Stuart -

[Paulus87]

Hey thanks for your reply Stuart, it's looking a lot more positive than I initially thought so I'll continue with my design. Good point about the bass trapping in the horizontal corners, that could be a space saver as long as I can get enough height. I will probably soffit fit the main monitors, that's what I had planned in my previous design too, it all depends on what I end up buying/building for my mains. I'll carry on designing and update when I've got a bit further down the road. Cheers for now!

[Paulus87]

So, before I go ahead and continue with my design would this work? I've never designed a control room in a square before and I know it's not ideal.

With that shape, what you are basically doing is something known as a "corner control room", facing across the diagonal of the room with one corner "cut off". That pretty much has to be square in order to be symmetrical. There's no problem with that, provided that it is done correctly. I have designed a couple of those myself, and they can work out well.

The reason I chose to do a layout like this is because there's a stream running at an angle next to the plot of land.

... implying that you'd have a nice view, and giving you a good reason to put a window in the front "cut-off" wall! If you wanted to, that could work out nicely.

It's around 35 square meters, but I might have to decrease the size to 30 square meters which should still be fairly good for a control room.

Either way, it's fine. Specs such as ITU BS-1116-3 and EBU Tech-3276 call for a minimum of 20m2 floor area for a stereo room, and 30m2 minimum for a multi-channel room (5.1, 7.1, etc). And even then, it is still possible to go smaller than that. So you have plenty of space there, for a good control room.

I've drawn in a rough bass trap in the rear corner, would I also need to add bass traps in the other 2 90 degree corners or can I find a way to leave them as they are to maximise space?

Your rear-corner bass trap could probably be larger than that, and yes, I would certainly consider adding more bass trapping to that room. The other two vertical corners are definitely options, but so are all the horizontal corners.

Also, bass traps do not reduce the acoustic size of the room: they only reduce the visual size. Bass traps actually increase the acoustic size, from one point of view.

If you are looking to get the best possible room you can have, then I'd suggest soffit-mounting your speakers, and using the areas above and below the actual soffit area for more bass trapping. I'd also suggest angled "slot-wedge" devices on the side walls, and a large hard-backed cloud under the ceiling, in addition to the abundant bass trapping.

- Stuart -

One question I can't find the answer to is as follows:

The current standing structure is a timber frame on a concrete base. I will put an external block work wall around this with a significant air gap in between. What I am wondering is, could I dig a foundation around 6 inches away from the concrete base of the timber frame building, pour in the concrete and make a slab for the new block work external wall? I.e. leave earth between the two concrete slabs? This way the internal and external structures would be completely isolated from each other and would save me taking apart the timber frame just in order to put isolation pads under the frame work. What are your thoughts on this? How would I prevent damp from rising up? Or is it just a completely terrible idea?

Thanks

[Soundman2020]

You can do that, yes, and that's sometimes referred to as "isolated slab" construction. But do not leaf a six inch gap full of dirt! You don't want exposed ground inside your building. Instead, your new foundation needs to come up to within maybe half an inch of the existing slab, and that gap needs to be sealed with some type of soft expansion compound.

and would save me taking apart the timber frame just in order to put isolation pads under the frame work

Why would you want to do that anyway?

Before you do any of that, the very first thing you need to do is to identify how much isolation you need, in terms of decibels. If you don't know that, then you have no basis for designing your studio...


- Stuart -