KMS Mastering Studio: a springy project construction, really…
It seldom happens to see our work described so well by our Clients.
They usually “just” thank for it and (rightfully) show it off!
Wladi Turkewitsch, the happy owner of KMS Mastering (studio) of Contra, in the Italian Switzerland, is an exception and sent us a story they wrote on the gestation, birth and growth of his creature.
WE STEP IN THE VERY MIDDLE OF THE STORY…
We step in at just about half the story Wladi wrote. We get a call from a young Swiss architect, Simone Turkewitsch, asking us to build a mastering studio, as per Thomas Jouanjean’s, Northward Acoustics, project.
We’ll just copy and paste, here, they did such a good job!
“… The construction project, on paper, was ready; now it was time to find someone to make it happen. Missing an “acoustic construction” category on the Yellow Pages, Simone and Wladi relied on word-of-mouth that landed them on engineer Francesca Bianco’s table @ Proaudio Consulting. Proaudio did have a “resident” acoustic designer of its own and would have faced, for the first time, the construction of a project designed by a different mind. Not only. A skilled (and creative) team was needed to meet the requirements: absolute precision and non-stop works during the winter. Francesca signed an NDA, made no promises and took her time to go through the plans with her team: Samuel Costa, on-site director of works e Valerio Stecca, co-project manager (her right hand…). In a few weeks they came back with a “Yes, we can”. Proaudio drafted down a shopping list and with Simone and Wladi discussed what to purchase where, on a most-convenient basis. The Proaudio team granted a careful and wise budget management and scheduling, in harmony with Simone. Paper does not always sing in a tune… To make happen aesthetics, architectural integrations and space rationalization it took great syncing among the architect, the acoustic designer, the building team. A great deal of design happened straight on construction site where all problems popped up and were solved, from time to time, with brilliant solutions that returned KMS as the jewel it is now.”
And that it is a jewel for real, pics taken at the end of the job show very well. You’ll enjoy the charm of this studio in our slideshow.
THE DESIGN BY THOMAS, THE LORD OF THE SPRINGS, AND OUR WORK
It’s been a springy project construction, really…
We faced a completely new construction process. Thomas Jouanjean keeps isolation and treatment in one package and makes it float within the space through the application of pulling / pushing springs.
Now, first you put the package together, then you place it. Or rather, suspend it, as the case is in our pics. Such package is pure mass. The first, true challenge was to lift it in order to suspend it.
Which, considering the breath-taking view, is good! Placement of the custom ATCs, wrapped into a baffle and leaning on the glass has been done by Thomas, in person. It’s a key-operation, this “tuning” and it’s done before finishing the interiors.
Baffles are suspended through springs as well, configuring a pull-push system, strongly anchored to the isolation floating shell.
The resulting sound has something esoteric. Wladi’s face, in this picture while he listens to 97 dBs of music on the sweet spot, speaks for itself.
Thomas Jouanjean gathers data… Once Thomas declared to be happy about the job, we finally could make a toast.
We loved this job and it’s been the first done for and with him – we sure wish we’ll do many more, in time. Now, you can enjoy the pictures taken by Roberto Barra e Paride Dedini in the slideshow!
