[DTV]

I wonder how different Salford would have felt used the other way round - so sofa on the right and the more flexible void space in the smaller left. Interestingly Salford is the reverse of the design used at TVC in these terms.

I'm not sure it'd be possible. The 'stage door' is at that end of the studio and, while you don't necessarily need to be bringing things in and out, it helps for musical segments and when they bring in other furniture for that end of the set. Also, even without the door placement issues, that end is not as wide as the other end. While you could rotate the sofa area 90° clockwise and have a deeper, narrow set at that end, it might feel a bit claustrophobic.

Here's a basic diagram of the studio I did nearly a decade ago...



They also seem to alternate the side of the studio the sofa is on - In the 2003 set it was central, though to the right of the news desk; 2006 it was on the left; 2008 it was on the right; and in Salford its been on the left of the set. From the images we've seen so far of the new set, it looks to be on the right - so continuing the pattern.