Renovation of white box commercial condo for new audio recording/mixing/mastering studio in Brooklyn, NY.

Design copyright Laura Carter. Image credits Laura Carter or Fieldnotes Studio / Mike Tierney.

There were three significant challenges in renovating this space. The first was soundproofing – the finished walls and floor are a “box within a box” to maintain isolation from the building structure.  

The new walls partially cover the existing windows to maximize acoustical performance, but leave windows operational for natural light and ventilation.

The second challenge was how to bring heating and cooling into the room in the most soundproof way possible. A minisplit heat pump system was installed through an existing window opening, then finished on the interior for soundproofing. The window with condensing unit is directly behind the piano.

The third challenge was creating an acoustically isolated finished floor on top of a sloping and uneven slab while maintaining ADA accessibility into the space.

The existing noncompliant ramped entry flooring was removed and replaced and provides a seamless transition into the soundproof studio room.