Line Studio at WMS

Overview

Washington Middle School is a Title-1 classified public school located on the island of O’ahu. It is one of the only schools in the island chain that offers pro audio and video production training. Aware of the increasing need for skilled professionals in the field and a professional-grade facility for them to work in, WMS principal Michael Harano and WSM audio educator Sam Fong contacted WSDG to design Line Studio at WMS – a new, world-class studio facility that could support these educational goals as well as Hawaii’s musical community at large.

Program

The WSDG design team was tasked with creating a full studio design package including studio design, acoustic design and isolation, technical interior design, and systems design. All A/V components were provided and installed onsite by AVN | SYS.

Design

The 1600 ft² recording complex is a world-class recording studio designed to function equally well as a professional audio production space and as a classroom. Advanced predictive analysis was provided by REDIacoustics NIRO™ software to aid in the layout design of the entire space and provided an optimized acoustic environment for all rooms. Room-in-room construction was utilized to provide total acoustic isolation. The complex also includes multiple iso booths, a substantial equipment closet, a full complement of outboard gear, and a Sound Lock with wheelchair access.

The control room has dedicated consoles for both audio and video production – specifically the SSL AWS 948 and AVID MTRX and a NewTek Tricaster. Monitoring is provided by a custom Symphonic Acoustics speaker system, jointly designed by WSDG and George Augspurger, as well as a full Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 ATC speaker array for immersive audio production and mixing.

The spacious live room also allows for multiple configurations and ensemble sizes. As with the rest of the studio, the interior and lighting design of the space was inspired by the lush Hawaiian surroundings. The WSDG design team integrated elements of the trunks and leaves of the local kalo plant within the custom designed rear wall Wave Diffuser and other aesthetic/acoustic elements of the interiors. Local materials were also heavily favored in the construction process.

Photo credit: Mardi Savage and Tim Savage

Links

Line Studio at WMS
Visit Washington Middle School Official Website
Read Khon 2 Article