University of Southern California – Thornton School of Music – Red Studio + G124

Overview

The University of Southern California is a private research university located in Los Angeles, CA. Serving a population of nearly 50,000 students, USC offers a wide range of academic programs, although it is perhaps best known for its School of Cinematic Arts which has turned out more Emmy and Academy-award winning graduates than any other program.

Program

The WSDG team was tasked with temporary upgrades of one of USC’s control rooms as well as a full renovation of ‘Red’, the school’s main audio production studio. This included acoustic isolation work, acoustic design, architectural design, and system consulting for immersive audio production, working in collaboration with D. Michael Hamner Architects.

Design

‘Red’ was reimagined into a more musical space to support the evolving recording and production uses beyond its original role as a voiceover and ADR studio for USC’s Film Programs, to better serve the School of Music. This transformation included streamlining the space, updating its look, feel, and orientation, reinstalling improved acoustic isolation, and adding an elevator lift to improve accessibility.

On the other side of the building, G124 will serve as USC’s Atmos-capable immersive mix room, featuring a new acoustic treatment design ready for Fall 2024. These rooms are part of a facility-wide initiative to upgrade the recording facilities for USC’s Thornton School of Music.