I just read some stuff about Funkhaus in Tape Op a few months back, it was another guy that uses the place.
I don't know how old that video is, but in the magazine, there were some comments about the uncertainty of its future at this time...that it will need a serious investment to be maintained and/or brought back to full operation.
The place is just amazing, and even the video doesn't really show how big it is and that it's a complex of studios and rooms, plus the big hall, etc.
It's places like that, and of course, many of the "Class of" studios shown in Mix over the years that have always provided me with both big dreams, but also great ideas about treatment options, etc. I mean...under the skin, they have their mechanics, but it's important how a place also looks.
The way they married the aesthetics with functionality in the Funkhaus is just beautiful. mostly natural finishes of wood and stone.
God how I hate seeing the project/home studios these days, basically covered it traps...they look awful. Yeah, there's a need, but I think people could take a little time and effort and try to build in some different treatments instead of just hanging 40-50 traps on every surface until there really is no aesthetic worth seeing.
That one thing I'm hoping to do with this new build is minimize that kind of treatment approach, and hopefully allow the room to work without stuffing the shit out of it with traps.
I've already got the angled ceiling in the design, and I am considering doing a very small split angle on the back wall too...kind like when you look up at a 'V' ceiling, and then doing something similar to the back wall...but it would not be perceivable. Basically find the center point, and then "split" at that point and bring each of the wall ends in by like just 1-2", creating a horizontal V, and then in that split center, doing a wall to ceiling diffuser of some sort, plus a couple more smaller ones on each side...but the center one would hide the "split".
I would leave the side walls straight and parallel, and on them, also add some diffusion.
It might be too much for the contractor to deal with...he was already asking me at least 3 times if we really needed to do the double 5/8" drywall, and if the clips and furring channels would hold (which they will)...but to do that split V on the back wall, the studs would then need to be furred out in some staggered way before the furring channels are attached. It might be too complicated.
If not, I will just do more diffusion...which like in the Funkhaus video, is the better way to go if you can, and I'll just stick some heavy bass trapping in the back corners.
Most likely though, I will hang some traps from the ceiling which will remain drywall, that way I can avoid flutter echo. I think rather then hanging them the typical 4" off the ceiling surface...I will use wire, and suspend then further, that way the traps hang parallel to the floor, and can catch reflection going up, and whatever comes off the ceiling surface.
At any rate, I will be focused on the aesthetics quite a lot, rather than just loading up treatment with that "more is better" mindset.
I want to room to be multi-purpose good...tracking and mixing, so I want to find the best balance for both.