The Kozmic Bubble

A house has a double garage space remote from the main building by 3m. The building is 5.9m wide x 8.9m long. The roof is an apex, the lower joists of which are 2.5 m from the ground with the apex peaking at 4m.

The floor is made of concrete and can generally support any structure on it. The existing walls of the garage are single skin brick with brick piers at the corners and along the length for additional structural strength. The garage has two separate ‘up and over’ doors at the front (short edge). On the left hand side (long edge, but near the doors) is a standard width access door into the space. There is also an exit door at the rear of the garage. Mains power is taken from the house and is made available at a consumer unit inside the garage.

The owner of the house wishes to convert this space into a studio and rehearsal area. The studio must have a live area large enough to cater for a drum kit, with a control room. A window either to the outside or between the live and control rooms is desirable but not essential. The neighbours (whose land adjoins the garage) are retired and do not approve of the owners music making activities. The owner’s partner does not want any equipment in the house, so the studio must be completely self contained. The property is about 4 miles from a regional airport, so plane noise is heard inside the garage during quiet periods. Therefore, noise must be controlled in and out of the studio, and any design must have measures to achieve this.

Although internal changes to the garage may be made, the exterior must be kept “as is” so that it can revert to its traditional role should the house be sold.

The live and control rooms should be suitable for the recording and playback of ‘rock’ type material.

You should produce a report of no more that 2000 words detailing your recommendations for a studio design. The design should meet the criteria above and include details of construction materials. Evidence of calculations as to the acoustic performance should be given, which justify your choices in the design process.

Over and above the basic room shape, details of acoustic treatment should be provided with construction details where needed. At all times the design needs to be considered in the context of a working recording space and so the use of equipment within the space needs to be considered, with recommendations where necessary.

Where specific materials are used, manufacturers data should be provided in an appendix (over and above the 2000 words) in order to justify and quantify the use of such materials.

Any proposed building should be placed in the context of current building regulations.

The report should offer details of the expected acoustic performance of the space as well as the performance for certain listening levels at the house.