Old dairy queen! Ideas for creatively treating this space?

[vanderlae]

I've just moved into this new space - it's an old dairy factory and this upstairs space has a really good vibe, thanks to the abundance of natural light flooding in. I'm renting and therefore not at liberty to start knocking up air-tight acoustic walls and the like so I am trying to creatively think of ways to treat this room without having to construct large separating walls and in an effort to maintain the open and airy warehouse feel that it has. It will serve mainly as a composing suite and mix room. Mix room? "But Dave that has to be acoustically dead..." Yeah, I know, but the compromise was taking this space over the much smaller and depressive room to the left (of this one, which as it happens is our bedroom) so I won out on the room and now have the task of making it sound reasonable.

I might jump over to John Sayers' site and ask around there for some practical solutions, but I though't I'd post some naked pictures here and see what kind of ideas I get back. The photos show a high ceiling including two peaked junctions as was the case of so many of the old warehouses in the day, and I guess that is an advantage to a point. They've left the metal beams exposed which give it a nice aesthetic but more than this it's probably a good chance to hang some custom-made baffles overhead - a largish one over the mix position and a few smaller ones spread out. I've got a bunch of broadband acoustic traps I made which I will somehow incorporate into the room, I'll be having to make loads more I feel. I also may build a false wall which backs straight onto the corner wall of the bathroom - wood frame with insulation and fronted by fabric (like the smaller baffles you may see in the pics). Even thought of constructing some kind of clear perspex swivel gate that comes out from the corner wall to block off some of the sound from the monitor height down. Big ideas, though. And I have no idea of how effective perspex is in an acoustic context. Anyway..

The last layout pic is an option I've been thinking about, where table/desk will be, lounge, large broadband trap I previously made, etc. And also because the room is too big to show everything in one photo. In no way is this to scale, this was whipped up in under 5 minutes in MS paint. Paint! So, go easy all you to-scale aficionados! Keen to hear what you think.

Cheers,
Dave

[mylesgm]

Nice find... if nothing else it looks great!

M

[vanderlae]

Cheers Myles. The rest of the building is a little on the quirky side - Brunetti's old cafe bar in the kitchen downstairs (!), nooks and crannies everywhere, but yes it feels great just standing in that room with all its light. After the shoebox I was in, this is a welcome chapter.

[Ausrock]

David,

Mobile "gobos", as large as you can make them........absorbtion one side, reflective the other.

[Chinagraf]

Old dairy Queen for an old dairy queen hey? Nice space Dave, good to see you are keeping the overheads down
Check out the GIK panels then do your own ripoff version. I wanna come see when it's done.
Cheers.

[Ben M]

David,

Mobile "gobos", as large as you can make them........absorbtion one side, reflective the other.

Nice place Dave.
I'd go with the above....plus attach an overhead absorber to that beam that runs over your mix position/chair and then make a tighter/less reflective acoustic space for final mixes (with the gobo's)....you know.... like a pod effectively. You'd need to do a lot of treatment to the room if you wanted to get the same result....and you'll probably enjoy this space more if it's keep light and open.

[vanderlae]

Thanks guys. Sorry for the lag, I'm in an internet cafe on Brunswick Street inside 7-eleven, that's how dire it is at the moment without internet. Urgghh....

Appreciate the suggestions. Mobile gobos, seems like a logical solution right there. Sticking to the absorbtion one side, reflective the other notion, does it matter what materials are used on the reflective side? i.e. mdf, covered with wallpaper or painted, or even gloss? And does the reflective side serve to contain the noise on one side rather than letting sound pass through, albeit reduced?

I like the idea of being able to butt them up together to make a tighter space for final mixdowns, etc. I was always going to suspend a large ceiling absorber from the beam over the mixing posi, so I guess I'll have to pay attention to the size and design.

Andy, welcome to drop by anytime mate - of course. GIK panels are something I've looked at in the past. I've made similar knock-off's previously, too, and may stick them up in this space if I feel they actually benefit from the hassle. I say that because with such a large space I might find that a handful of these fixed around the room may not actually impact on the overall reduction much. In which case I'd be better off enjoying the space and using the large gobos to contain sound. The whole idea is that it can be a comfy writing/production space for me, and also inviting enough for clients. You know the types I refer to - all about the coffee etc! Once the dust has settled come on over for a coldie mate. Anyone else is welcome also of course! Should be settled by early Feb methinks.

I'm about to go plant crazy tomorrow. Mother-in-law's toungue - excellent for cleaning the air I read. Lots of light + plants + no clutter = awesome.

[Alistair]

Peace Lilys are great indoor plants too- they put up with a lot of crap in regards to light and watering and stay healthy. They are up there with the best in terms of air treatment.

I was trying to guess where you were by the skyline outside the window- thought it looked like Lygon St area of Carlton. Brunswick St isn't far off!

[mylesgm]

Mother-in-law's tongue? doesn't sound like a good air cleaner to me....

Pm'd you about some diffusers too...

M

[vanderlae]

I was trying to guess where you were by the skyline outside the window- thought it looked like Lygon St area of Carlton. Brunswick St isn't far off!

Actually it's off Scotchmer St in Fitzroy North - but close to B'wick street, yes. Around the corner from The Empress basically. Like I need another pub around me!

[Alistair]

I know it well! I've had multiple friends with places on Scotchmer. Great area, have fun! A nice big room like that is a rare find around there.