Have you heard about the new music studio in Sheffield? It’s a state of the art building in the Sheffield University campus and it’s big talking point is it’s completely enveloped in black rubber.

It’s called the ‘Soundhouse’ & was constructed by Kier… I can’t decide if I like it or not – every time I look at it I change my mind! According to World Architecture News it’s the UK’s first rubber-clad venue and ‘the rubber membrane was placed under tension similar to the skin on a drum, fixed and then decorated with 100mm diameter stainless steel studs.’ I like the musical link there, I’d love to know if it was deliberate or just necessary.

Covering 450m², the building’s unique black cube structure is set to become a landmark on the university campus, with the bold and simple design reflecting the existing inventiveness of the Portobello area.

Professor Keith Burnett, vice-chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said the new addition would allow students to “nurture and develop their passion for music in a modern and creative environment.”

Mike Harris, director at Carey Jones architects, said the overall aesthetic of the black rubber quilt was intended as “a literal translation of the need to acoustically contain the building’s use contained within.”

The pioneering “music box” design creates he said, “a stunning piece of architecture that sits well as part of the dynamic urban fabric, respecting important existing and new buildings in the surrounding area.”.

Via Building