Prince and Paisley Park Recording Studios

In 1985, 23-year-old architect Bret Thoeny was asked to build something he had never constructed before: an artist’s compound. “Back then, this wasn’t done. Artist’s weren’t building their own compounds, only large companies or record labels were,” Thoeny said in an interview with Billboard Thursday night (April 22).

“But Prince had this vision to have everything under one roof. And this was decades before it was common for any individual to do that.”

What was the building process like?

We built it (Paisley Park Studios) from scratch. All white aluminum, metal panels on the outside to compliment the simplicity of the landscape. Very few windows because recording studios don’t have windows, but also because it was his place, and he wanted privacy.

We constructed a large sound stage like the Hollywood Sound Stage, two recording studios, a dance rehearsal hall, costume spaces, offices, and his office. He would do films there and tour rehearsals, all his costumes, all his clothes remained there. And he was very involved in the collaboration process. He’d come check out the construction site when he was on tour, climb up on the roof to see the space, all sorts of things.

• Read more of this interview and see exclusive images at Billboard.com