Schneider was able to perfectly showcase its long-standing expertise in facade construction through the integration of mullion and transom structures, aluminium element facades and curtain-type sheet metal panel cladding for the BBC Music Studios at the Stratford Waterfront. The new studio building is part of the emerging East Bank cultural hub in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Two neighbouring new buildings also benefited from the facade expertise of the Anglo-German Schneider team: the Sadler’s Wells East Dance Theatre and the V&A East Museum.

A worthy replacement for the legendary Maida Vale Studios. The unique collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the musical brilliance of the BBC, the dance artistry of Sadler’s Wells and the forward-thinking fashion of the London School of Fashion form an essential part of London’s new creative cosmos, East Bank. The new BBC Music Studios building, which will open in 2025, replaces the legendary Maida Vale Studios, one of the most famous addresses in pop culture and home to the renowned BBC Symphony Orchestra. It accommodates three high-end music studios, two radio studios, an editing suite, a visualisation gallery and one of the world’s largest collections of musical scores.

Functionality Combined with Industrial Aesthetics According to the ideas of the responsible architects Allies & Morrison, the combination of various materials epitomises a sense of creative energy and a spirit of experimentation. An open, glass-fronted reception area leads from the podium level into the interior. A cantilevered rehearsal room hovers above this that offers an impressive view of the surroundings. The weathered steel structure of the main studio contrasts with the precast concrete elements and glass surfaces of the adjoining areas. Floors, walls and ceilings are decoupled to prevent the transmission of sound and vibrations. Gebrüder Schneider was responsible for the production and installation of the aluminium mullion and transom facades, the aluminium element facades with curtain-type sheet metal fins, as well as the curtain-type sheet metal facades with panels up to 6 metres in size. In addition, the installation of the dual-layer steel roof, as well as motorised opening swing sashes, parallel windows, glass louvre panels and doors, was included in the scope of work.