A historical recording studio located in Los Angeles, California received a remarkable makeover in 2009. Today, it’s a commercial building with some of the building’s history kept intact.

Keeping a Piece of History

The building was initially built in the 1930’s for a grocery store. By the 1950’s this property was used as a recording studio. To accommodate the musicians, there were several changes made to the building’s original interior, exterior, and structure.

Some timeless records were recorded in this studio, including “Pet Sounds,” by the Beach Boys, and “California Dreamin’,” by Mamas and the Papas. The legendary Frank Sinatra also recorded music here.

During the most recent renovation, Hughes Umbanhowar Architects kept five of the original analog recording studios for historical significance. Although the building has a vintage exterior look and some original interior features, it now has additional modern components as well.

The New Features

There are various private lounges for an artist to relax in during their down time. You will also notice a beautiful sun terrace on the exterior. The new conference room is an ideal place for holding meetings and strategizing plans for the musician or their record label.

When you first walk into the studio, you will see a large lobby. If you continue exploring you’ll come across the large chef’s kitchen. Artists will have the option to eat home cooked meals while they are working, instead of getting unhealthy fast food delivered to the studio.

The building also has programming and administrative offices as well. It’s a fully functional business center as opposed to a place for just recording music. However, the lighting in the building is set to the preference of recording artists. All of the lighting is low, which reduces their concept of time. It’s a trick that helps musicians block out exterior distractions during long days of recording.

Overall, the project and renovation process was intense. The architects had to successfully deal and negotiate with different city departments in an effort to keep the original features while meeting the current code requirements for a commercial building.

The architects renovated the concrete on both the interior and exterior of the historic recording studio. They also renovated the wood bow truss. During the remodel, bamboo and additional polished concrete got used for visual aesthetics.

The beautiful velvet curtains are 20 feet long, and there are leather walls in areas of the studio. A concept with fluorescent paint and black light creates a comfortable atmosphere for musicians. There are also painted canvas walls, Carrera marble, and recycled rubber wainscot components as well.

All in all, the Eastwest Studios Hollywood is a spacious, unique, and historical place to record music. At 20,500 square feet, it’s a large commercial building in an ideal location. It’s a brand new design with vintage features.

Design by Hughes Umbanhowar Architects