Design of a flagship studio suite for a major recording arts educational program

Abstract

The architectural acoustic design of a studio, isolation booth and control room as well as an intimate performance hall for amplified music was undertaken for a major recording arts educational program. The university which already has many recording studios, considered this facility as their “Audio Temple” or the showpiece of the entire campus. Acoustical design criteria for reverberation time, low frequency sound control, room response, diffuseness, background noise and sound isolation were established in conjunction with the faculty who will use the spaces. There are classroom spaces above the studio suite and mechanical equipment located near-by, so sound isolation design was an important part of the design effort. A three-layer sound isolation system was used for each of the rooms. The faculty had specific requirements for the interior acoustical qualities of the rooms. The paper presents comparisons of the rooms as designed with the criteria for acoustical quality described by the users for reverberation, low frequency sound, room response, diffuseness and background noise. Efforts were maintained during design and construction to preserve these qualities through the realities of the value engineering and construction process.