Tucked away in the verdant countryside of Oxfordshire, sits the new multi-arts production facility of artists Max Richter and Yulia Mahr. Studio Richter Mahr may be a state-of-the-art creative space, but it is located within a low, metal-clad structure that takes its cues from the local vernacular of the region's barns and farmyard buildings – infused with the modern sensibility of a contemporary production headquarters. Visual artist Mahr and music composer Richter spearheaded the creation of their joint Oxfordshire studio that repurposes an upcycled farm building on the edge of 31 acres of woodland, transforming it into a piece of rural, minimalist architecture.
'Studio Richter Mahr is about dreaming the future into existence, a better way to live and work,' says Mahr. 'It’s about forward motion and borderless creativity. It’s about offering time and opportunities for people to really experiment.'
The studio is not only technically equipped to tackle the two artists’ creative endeavours, but it's also designed to be forward thinking in its design too. Eco-friendly strategies, such as solar technologies and a heat-pump help this modest structure to be carbon positive. A minimalist approach to materials – a natural and restrained palette, including mostly timber – helps create a clean, almost utilitarian feel that does not distract from artistic production and the natural context beyond.
Richter and Mahr collaborated with local architectural designer Charlie Luxton and his team on the main space. The studios and mix rooms – built to be on a suspended concrete floor, as a building within the building – were the result of work with specialists Level Acoustics and Studio Creations, ensuring the production areas are fit for purpose as well as looking chic and contemporary.
The result contains an orchestral recording room (including one of the UK's only Steinway Spirio R concert grand pianos), a Dolby Atmos mix room, programming rooms, a collection of vintage synthesisers, a video edit suite, fine art studios, an exhibition space, and a café offering local produce. Additionally, the building is wired to broadcast live performances.
Operating as a commercial space for hire, as well as a free space for emerging artists to develop work, Studio Richter Mahr promises to be a hub of creativity for Oxfordshire and beyond.
INFORMATION
-
Inside Helmut Lang’s fashion archive in Vienna, which still defines how we dress todayNew exhibition ‘Séance de Travail 1986-2005’ at MAK in Vienna puts Helmut Lang’s extraordinary fashion archive on view for the first time, capturing the Austrian designer-turned-artist’s enduring legacy
-
Eclectic and colourful, Charlie Ferrer’s home reflects the interior designer’s personal and professional evolutionThe New York interior designer invites us into his new Greenwich Village home: come on in
-
Heading to the 2026 Winter Olympic Games? Don’t miss these stops along the wayAs the anticipated winter games draw near, Wallpaper*’s Milan editor, Laura May Todd, shares where to stay, eat, drink and relax in the Dolomites
-
RIBA House of the Year 2025 is a ‘rare mixture of sensitivity and boldness’Topping the list of seven shortlisted homes, Izat Arundell’s Hebridean self-build – named Caochan na Creige – is announced as the RIBA House of the Year 2025
-
In addition to brutalist buildings, Alison Smithson designed some of the most creative Christmas cards we've seenThe architect’s collection of season’s greetings is on show at the Roca London Gallery, just in time for the holidays
-
In South Wales, a remote coastal farmhouse flaunts its modern revamp, primed for hostingA farmhouse perched on the Gower Peninsula, Delfyd Farm reveals its ground-floor refresh by architecture studio Rural Office, which created a cosy home with breathtaking views
-
A revived public space in Aberdeen is named Scotland’s building of the yearAberdeen's Union Terrace Gardens by Stallan-Brand Architecture + Design and LDA Design wins the 2025 Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award
-
A refreshed 1950s apartment in East London allows for moments of discoveryWith this 1950s apartment redesign, London-based architects Studio Naama wanted to create a residence which reflects the fun and individual nature of the clients
-
In this Cotswolds home, drama meets minimalismCotswolds home Hiaven house, with interiors designed by McLaren Excell, is a perfect blend of contemporary chic and calm, countryside drama
-
David Kohn’s first book, ‘Stages’, is unpredictable, experimental and informativeThe first book on David Kohn Architects focuses on the work of the award-winning London-based practice; ‘Stages’ is an innovative monograph in 12 parts
-
Find solace in the forest at this expansive treehouse retreat in DorsetFor sale for the first time, a treehouse, Mallinson’s Woodland Retreat, is a tribute to the skill of designer and master craftsman Guy Mallinson
