No Fun Club Recording Studios
No Fun Club Recording Studios
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Architecture, Renovation, Restoration
Cohlmeyer Architecture
Analog recording equipment is powered by an elaborate, dedicated power supply, fully isolated to avoid extraneous noise. The studios have their own 800-amp electrical service (more than double that of a typical business office) from which multiple panels run for sound recording, mixing, and audio production.
An ordinary warehouse was transformed into one of North America’s largest and most sophisticated analog and digital sound recording studios––No Fun Club.
Two recording studios consisting of eight unique acoustic chambers were constructed with thick, double-framed, insulated walls with specialized drywall assemblies. Raised, isolated floors were installed to prevent sound transfer between rooms. Each control room was outfitted with vintage analog equipment and powered by an electrical supply isolated to cancel extraneous noise. An office and amenities for out-of-town clients––separated from the sound studios––completed the renovation. Rental space at the front of the building was restored, adding a new entrance, windows and an elevator.
Within an unassuming warehouse, the interior has been meticulously repurposed through a masterful fusion of technological innovation and creative design.
Studio lighting and other electrical hardware have dedicated panels and wiring to ensure optimum acoustic isolation. A standby battery-powered backup system ensures recording sessions can be completed during unexpected power outages.
Incandescent lighting was selected to prevent electromagnetic interference that contributes to feedback noise. Some recording equipment was so large and heavy that rooms had to be constructed around it.
The warehouse is divided into three zones––rental space, studio space, and a garage. The rental space is at the front, facing the main street. Behind it, sharing a service corridor, is the studio space where angled walls denote acoustic chambers. Adjacent to the studio is the garage, which serves as an all-weather covered loading zone.
Hundreds of holes were cored in the existing concrete floor into the basement to increase air volume within certain studio rooms. Added air volume changes the acoustic properties of the spaces. To insulate the concrete block exterior walls and ensure they were not subjected to risk of freeze-thaw damage, a 1.5-inch gap was placed between the existing wall and the new wall where a fan prevents moisture build-up.
Dead rooms eradicate sound through a series of insulating layers. Black fabric in a wooden frame is positioned in front of mass-loaded vinyl (half an inch thick) hung loosely to absorb vibration. This is suspended in front of a double-framed wall assembly of four layers of gypsum board secured with acoustic sealant.
All the studio rooms are interconnected but sealed off from one another. Studios A and B each divide into four acoustic chambers. The walls, floors and ceiling are constructed to isolate sound and prevent sound transfer. All rooms are individually controlled for heat, cooling and ventilation. Ducts are acoustically lined and don’t cross between rooms.
Reclaimed materials were central to establishing the studio’s cozy, eclectic ambience.
A dropped wooden ceiling serves as a visual guide through the space. Design details include rusted steel panels that brace the tabletop and opulent chandeliers that contrast with the exposed concrete floor.
The large kitchen, at the entrance to the studio, is a welcoming multiple-purpose space for relaxing and socializing.
The smaller kitchen is a private space connected to accommodations for overnighting musicians. Both kitchens come equipped with audio jacks for playing and recording should inspiration strike.
Some walls, floors, and ceilings were finished using aged wood from a dismantled American tobacco barn. Doors, steel beams, antique chandeliers and industrial lighting––including light fixtures from a decommissioned Russian ship––were repurposed.
The building’s original sliding warehouse doors were restored, and exposed brick walls were repainted.
A mural painted by Manitoba artist Ilana Pichon was added to the exterior wall most viewed by passers-by. The circles represent records while the interior shapes depict prairie farm fields as seen from the air. The original warehouse was built in stages between the 1920s and 1940s, but in need of extensive repairs at the time of purchase. The warehouse was troubled by, among other deficits, poor roofing and water infiltration. To correct this, the basement walls were treated with a waterproofing system, a new roof was installed, and sump pumps added.
A bright and welcoming entry way for the rental portion of the building was created through the construction of a new floor, a broader staircase, and the removal of original walls. Many of the windows, which were boarded up over the years, were reopened and new windows installed. Streetside windows were extended to floor level.
Repurposed old beams were selected and refurbished to preserve the original historic character, paired with bolted steel connections.
The elevator is enclosed with a stacked wood structure, inspired by the building’s original materials. Repaired tin ceilings complete the restoration. On the inside face of the exterior wall, coverings were removed to expose the original interior brick. The brick was repaired and repointed.