Chateau Denmark, a complex of 55 rooms and apartments set across 16 buildings in London’s West End on Denmark Street, which since the 1950s has been associated with British popular music, first via publishers and later by recording studios and music shops, offers numerous spaces outfitted with sound reinforcement systems utilizing a range of Void Acoustics loudspeakers and supporting components.
The sound design for the unique project is the result of a close collaboration between systems integrator Butler Harwell and the team at Void Acoustics. “It has been a phenomenal project to work on,” says Callum Bowran, applications & support manager for Void Acoustics. “The history of Denmark Street validates Chateau Denmark as a music-focused place of the highest order for its high-end clientele. The brief was clear: to provide exceptional individual audio systems to go into the “session rooms” and apartments. It was a brief like no other including bespoke systems in the bedrooms, as well as separate systems integrated into the bathrooms of each space.
“We have been working with Butler Harwell for over two years specifying, designing, and deploying the systems,” he continues. “Working in buildings over 100 years old presented us with some additional challenges. Simply put, the building spaces and Void are diametrically opposite — very quirky old structures meet futuristic and state-of-the-art kit! But this made it an even more interesting project, which we all embraced.”
Void loudspeakers deployed in the guest apartments include the Air Motion and Airten V3 from the company’s flagship Air Series both joined by Sub Vantage subwoofers. Audio power is delivered with Bias amplifiers.
In addition, sculpted Cyclone 10, Cyclone 55, and Air 8 loudspeakers can be found in several apartments, housed in fiberglass enclosures. The lower ends of the frequency spectrum are provided by the Venu 210i V2 and passive Venu 208 subs. Joining the Void Acoustics product range this year was the Venu 208, recommended for the project based on its extremely compact nature and high-power output. All products except the powered Venu 210i V2 are again driven by Bias amplifiers.
The designers opted for Air 8 loudspeakers in several rooms where alternative products were also in consideration. However, the fiberglass loudspeakers were selected based on their aesthetic appearance, as well as 119 dB (continous) output and optimized dispersion pattern.
“I had not previously worked with Void Acoustics,” notes Tom Butler, managing director of Butler Harwell. “But with the Chateau Denmark team influencing the deployment of Void Acoustics, we were excited to embrace the unique hybrid aspect of the project.
“We had to ensure that the Void Acoustics products being installed could live up to the neighborhood’s notoriety within the music industry,” he adds. “We had to be precise and exacting with every element of the technical integration. Void understood this in the brief, along with the technical challenges we were faced with.”
Meanwhile, bathrooms are outfitted with IP55-rated Cyclone series loudspeakers. Technical considerations for these spaces included the length of the floorplan, which was tackled by the Cyclone 55’s wide dispersion pattern, reducing the need for additional loudspeakers.
The rooms of Chateau Denmark embrace a less traditional format with quirky floorplans embraced throughout that leave insufficient space for a traditionally sized amplifier rack. The design of the Bias T1 amplifier module, a custom-made 4-channel amplifier with DSP, eliminated this challenge.
A collaboration with interior designer Taylor Howes to install Venu 210i V2 subwoofers for the Air 8 loudspeakers resulted in them being built into the sofas in each apartment. “Another space-saving exercise which we were thrilled that Void Acoustics were prepared to accommodate,” says Butler.
“The choice of the speaker models we have installed in Chateau Denmark may raise eyebrows,” Bowran concludes. “It’s a killer place with a stunning looking result where the attention to detail is exceptional. We anticipate this will be the first of many collaborations with Butler Harwell.”
