Penthouse Studio NYC
Penthouse Studio is a private recording studio in the vibrant New York City’s Times Squareis in the penthouse of 723 7th Ave, the former home of the Quad Studios complex. Learn about the equipment used and the studio setup.
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Penthouse Studio by Malekpour Design Partners
Located in New York City’s Times Square, the appropriately named Penthouse Studio is located in the penthouse of 723 7th Ave, the former home of the Quad Studios complex.
Old-world elegance reimagined for the future
Between the shimmering silver fabric, Starlight Ceiling, and user-programmable color-changing lights, the studio projects the visual grandeur of a perpetual night-and-day vista, with daylight focused on the work area in the front, Starlight Ceiling in the rear evokes the sense of an open moon roof to view the night sky for inspiration. The rear wall also features a huge, wraparound client sofa upholstered in white Naugahyde upholstery with eye-catching crystals embedded in its pleats. Immensely comfortable and capable of seating a large number of guests and collaborators common to current production trends, the sofa evokes the old-school feel of a traditional leather sofa one would expect in an opulent penthouse while providing a modern aesthetic.
The live room was left largely intact from the original build for Quad Studios but was updated and tweaked with additional acoustic treatment. It’s also large enough to enable the studio to host special events, such as listening parties for label executives and reps.
The studio also hosts a number of amenities, such as a client lounge, kitchen, and access to a roof deck for a view of Times Square.
Client Directive
Build a futuristic design modeled after the bridge and flight deck of a 23rd-century space ship as depicted found in the annals of science fiction.
Design Challenge
- An excessive amount of frequency buildup at 200 and 400Hz produced by the room
- Create a futuristic, spaceship-style control room and tracking room
- Provide a luxurious atmosphere
Client Directive
Build a futuristic design modeled after the bridge and flight deck of a 23rd-century space ship as depicted found in the annals of science fiction.
Design Challenge
- An excessive amount of frequency buildup at 200 and 400Hz produced by the room
- Create a futuristic, spaceship-style control room and tracking room
- Provide a luxurious atmosphere
Solutions
Stripping the room down to its studs, comprehensive acoustic measurements were taken until a balanced frequency response was achieved. Custom acoustic treatments include a labyrinth bass-trapping system, along with a custom overhead cloud, subsequently designed and created to fill in the voids found in the front wall and rear of the room. All of this took place before interior design elements were crafted.
Owners Jesse Rothman and Manny Acosta’s interior design directive was to create the luxurious feel commensurate with the expectations evoked by entering a penthouse in a New York high-rise, while at the same time, presenting an ultra-modern look and feel. To achieve this goal, Malekpour Design Group conceived the idea of a “moon roof” with the added visual appeal of a perpetual star-light night sky that you would expect to see from a viewport when traveling through space.
This led to the first design and implementation of the Starlight Ceiling, a fiber-optic lighting system unique to Malekpour Design Partners. To facilitate both artistic vibe and practical use, the rear of the control room features the Starlight Ceiling, while the front features a silver/white fabric. To complement the fabric, custom furniture, including workstation and producer’s desk were designed and built, featuring a breath-taking high-gloss white finish.
The Penthouse is one of the top NYC recording studios, made for artists by artists.
The Penthouse at 723 7th Avenue is steeped in rich music history, having hosted many of the top entertainers in the world since the 1960’s.
It is the last music building on what was once historic Music Row, 48th Street in Midtown. Upon acquiring the space, the current owners dismantled and stripped the control room down to the studs in order to reconfigure it for acoustic performance. They built the all-white Heavens Room to be flexible enough to accommodate any type of session work and designed it to have a clean, comfortable and futuristic feel that inspires creativity.
Peak tuned for sonic accuracy, Penthouse’s Heavens room creates a truly immersive vibe and experience that sounds as good as it looks.
Gear featured in Penthouse Studio
Studio Design
Penthouse Studio was proudly designed and built by Malekpour Design Partners
With over 30 years’ experience in recording studio design, analysis and construction, Malekpour Design Partners, part of the PAD Group, offers unparalleled expertise in all areas of design, specification and construction of recording studios. When it comes to building a professional facility, our philosophy is always to put ourselves at the heart of your vision, to deliver not only your desired aesthetic and required functionality, but exceptional sonic accuracy and a creative, unrestrictive environment – so you can achieve the best results possible for your investment.
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