Ben Nemes, who until recently was Pro Audio Sales Manager for Avid UK, has now teamed up with AKA Design founder Guy Wilson and Mike Watson, owner of systems integrator AbsoluteCAD to launch a new business called SpaceCrate.

What Is SpaceCrate?

SpaceCrate will be a new business supplying specially modified shipping containers so that they can be used for 'creative spaces'. These will be aimed at production and post businesses, who need to expand or relocate their facilities or to handle seasonal fluctuations or provide temporary facilities, but of course there is no reason why they cannot be used as a permanent solution too. 

The container can have for sound isolation and acoustic performance treatment, be equipped with air conditioning and lighting and pre-wired for power and equipment.

ISO Containers

The concept of re-purposing ISO shipping containers has been around for some time, but this is the first occasion we've heard of where a bunch of audio and design experts have teamed up to provide an almost "off the peg", but also totally customisable solution. This is of interest to home studio owners and major facilities alike.

Possible Uses For SpaceCrate

When building a studio or creative space a major consideration is where you locate it. That decision has a major influence on what you build. If you build within your own house, you have to work out isolation, ventilation, power supply, and even then if you want to be able to host clients you have to work out the logistics, both from insurance and tax. If you build a "posh shed"  there is the consideration of having to work out everything for yourself. Simple errors early on can cause you a financial and logistical nightmare.

Other uses could include location editing facilities, Foley and ADR or dubbing suites, spaces for dailies screenings or as an alternative to a shed at the end of the garden for home recording studio.  With the growth in home working that we demonstrated in our survey earlier this year this could be a very interesting possible solution for people wanting to work from home.

Moving On?

Another major consideration when building your own studio is your projected lifespan. How long do you anticipate that you are going to be in your location? Is your current location actually suitable? How long are you going to need to be in business to pay off the build? As Alan Sallabank found out to his expense earlier this year, if things don't work out, it can be very costly to move.

What if there was an "off the peg" solution, that was technically a mobile structure, that you can locate wherever it's needed? The classic truck mobile studios and Outside Broadcast units come with their own raft of issues. How about a halfway house - something that has the comfort and acoustics of a permanent structure, but the flexibility of being able to be moved should the need arise.

Catch Ben At IBC

Ben Nemes will be at IBC next week, so if you are there too perhaps try and catch him and get more information. Our image above gives you some tantalising glimpses of what they've got in store, and Pro Tools Expert will be keeping you up to date with developments.