Cowshed Studios
The project for composer Matthew Bourne sees the creation of a new recording studio by replacing a tumbledown garage with a micro piece of architecture that responds to the context in which it’s located.
Sometime in 2019, Mary Ann Hobbs tweeted about a track she’s playing on BBC 6music. An expansive ambient electronica piece by composer Matthew Bourne called ‘Keighley’An incongruous name for such a spacious piece and tweets were sent along those lines. Matthew replied explaining it was inspired by the view from his studio, of the landscape that surrounds the town. Made perfect sense – a response to context; lovely.
Direct messages exchanged, a connection made and out of that a project emerged.
From a piece of contextual music informed by the Pennine landscape, a piece of contextual architecture developed in which to make and record music.
The resulting design responds to this brief whilst locking into the terrain and views to the landscape beyond; training views and screening off the clutter on Keighley’s periphery and focusing on the moorland across on the valley top. This is very much an introspective space, a place informed by acoustics as well as the landscape that it frames.
The studio reworks a garage space set at a lower level; the aim was to work with simple, super economic and honest materials – concrete block, timber joists, steelwork expressed and put together in an interesting way to form a dynamic space hooked around acoustic principles.
Services on this project
Defining the project’s purpose, business case, and initial advice.
Developing the project brief, assembling the project team, and conducting site surveys
Creating initial design concepts, sketch plans, 3D models, and early cost estimates.
Refining the design, including structural, MEP, and architectural details to achieve consents, such as planning permission.
Preparing detailed technical drawings, specifications, and building regulations information.
