Soundbox Studio Design

Collaborators: Reese Rosebeck, Ian Beck, Alex Arguelles, Hunter Sayre, Kim Neal

The Soundbox is a recording studio at The Hive, a design center at Pomona College. As the manager of the space, I noticed that beginners were intimidated by audio production, and some were hesitant to use the studio at all.

With their stories in mind, my team and I redesigned elements of the studio to cater to the experience of the beginner.

Our design process was rooted in our goal to make the studio more welcoming, community-oriented, and accessible.

We added a tape mural on the outside wall of the studio to make the exterior more inviting and joyful.

Brighter carpeting and more comfortable furniture helped us open up the space and make it one you could comfortably spend hours in.

We created “a beginner’s guide to the Soundbox”, a step-by-step guide walking users through setting up the equipment in the studio and getting ready to record.

Adding a polaroid wall allowed us to share memories with each other, and now any Soundbox user can make their mark on the studio walls.

We built an equipment board, because we found that clear labeling and organization both empowered new users to learn the language of the equipment they needed, and also encouraged our broader community to take better care of the space and leave it organized.

Our “Made in the Soundbox” wall showcases songs, albums and podcasts that have been recorded and produced in the studio. The goal of the wall is to support our community and to inspire each other with what is possible to produce in the space!

Books on podcasting, audio and music production are now available in the space, so that even if someone isn’t ready to jump right in and produce, they can spend time in the studio learning and getting comfortable.

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