CHA began their relationship with Bruton Stroube Studios thirty years ago when Greg Stroube had a studio downtown and was working with designer James Staicoff on its interior renovation. The marketing company has grown, evolved and moved several times, and is always in need of creative spaces that can attract and keep creative minds. In 2011, they needed to expand so CHA worked with local architect Bill Wischmeyer to renovate the 1914 Willys-Overland Automobile Company building. The building was intact although parts were concealed under 1950’s to 1970’s vintage renovations.

The new studios, offices and support spaces are all custom designed for Bruton Stroube’s work process which includes grabbing inspiration wherever they find it. With this in mind, we fully embraced the industrial quirkiness of the building, reclaiming materials we found there including casework, light fixtures and glazed iron windows and reincorporating them into the new design.

Concrete columns and beams are exposed and original concrete and tile flooring found under more recent finishes have been restored. The automobile freight elevator is retained and maintained in working order. Historic replica windows replaced glass block infill along the street fronting façade, reviving the original building character, architectural scale, and proportions.

The new Audio suite is carefully engineered for voice over recording and audio work. The custom wood paneling serves both aesthetic and acoustical roles. Its beautiful finish and connection details speaks to the importance of quality and its mass reduces transmission of sound and vibration into the studio atmosphere. Behind the panels are acoustically absorptive materials and serious sound separation assemblies.