Complementing the studio design work nonzero\architecture (a.k.a. studio bau:ton) has been doing for commercial and personal clients over the last 30+ years, is its highly relevant involvement in institutional projects for a variety of schools and universities. Founder Peter Grueneisen says, “The importance of student education cannot be overstated for the future in the music, audiovisual and media production fields.”
Designed by nonzero, the new recording facility at Weber opened in October of 2021 and houses a large control room with a connected recording space. Being the first part of an ongoing project, the recording studio is a step toward an adjacent larger space that will house another recording studio, performance space and lecture hall. The facilities will be connected and will allow for combined operations between the rooms. Located in the Val. A. Browning Performing Arts Center, the new facility rounds out an existing program of concert halls, performance spaces and rehearsal facilities. Weber’s music recording program was launched in 2018, offering degrees in Sound Production and Recording.
Mark Maxson, Weber’s recording program director, graduated from WSU in 1992. A professional guitarist for many years, he joined as an adjunct music instructor in guitar and music theory. In the late 90’s he developed Weber’s Performing Arts Technology Lab, and in 2000 was promoted as Professional Staff. An Avid Certified Instructor, he is responsible for maintaining and developing strategic technologies for the Dept. of Performing Arts.
Aaron Hubbard is a member of the adjunct faculty Sound Production and Recording program, teaching recording classes, audio fundamentals, and also oversaw the new studio design and construction. “The building was built in the 1960’s,” explains Hubbard. “It was remolded in the late 90’s, accommodating large multiple performance spaces and rehearsal facilities. After weighing the options, we built out two new spaces on the ground floor after excavating and installing a new floating floor system to isolate the studio from the rest of the building. After the request for proposals, it was clear that nonzero was the right choice to transform the space. We had some big challenges to overcome and nonzero designed a facility that exceeded all of our expectations. We now have a professional recording studio in a good learning environment with great sight lines and a camera system that enhances the experience for the students. Working through the design process during a pandemic really opened our eyes to alternate ways of education. We added the infrastructure design to quickly capture lectures for video streaming. The result is a fantastic sounding space that is setup for a great educational experience.”
https://weber.edu/performingarts/Sound_Production_Minor.html
