Situated on the main street in the heart of the bustling Swedish city of Gothenburg, the Elite Park Avenue hotel is one of Gothenburg’s premier hotels. It also hosts one of the city’s most famous restaurant addresses run by Michelin-starred chef, Stefan Karlsson. At PARK is a Swedish-inspired brasserie offering traditional Swedish dishes with a modern gastronomic twist. The restaurant can accommodate up to 130 diners including a long chefs table next to the kitchen. There is also a separate and an exclusive ‘chambre separée’ that can host up to 25 people. And, a long bar that is perfect for a drink with friends and colleagues, or even a bite to eat.
Uppsala-based systems integrator, Kreativ Teknik was commissioned to develop a complete solution, including audio and lighting automation for the restaurant and bar. The focus was on premium quality sound at both high and low levels with the ability to accommodate a DJ at the weekend. Kreativ Teknik had no hesitation in identifying Genelec as the ideal solution to At PARK’s requirements.
Kreativ Teknik’s, Daniel Landmark explained why Genelec was such a good choice for At PARK: “Our first priority was sound quality,” he said. “We needed to achieve smooth, even coverage and a balanced soundscape at low volumes that is pleasant to listen to without being aggressive or intrusive. However, the system is running almost 24 hours a day and, during the weekend, also needs to be able to run comfortably at high SPLs for several hours when the DJ is in residence. We required a high quality system with both detail and headroom that was also aesthetically pleasing. Genelec’s 4000 Series range of installation loudspeakers fitted the bill perfectly.”
Landmark specified a total of 30 4030CMM loudspeakers in order to achieve full coverage of the space. “It wasn’t as straightforward as you might think, actually, but fortunately Genelec has solutions for most things,” he noted. “The first issue was how to physically mount the loudspeakers, as many of the walls in the dining area are covered with murals from Peter Apelgren, who is a well-known Swedish artist and comedian. However, Genelec has a vast range of mounting options compatible with the 4000 Series, so it was possible to find a good compromise.”
The second issue was how to reinforce the low-end in the bar area for the DJ sessions. The 4030’s were still ideal for the mid-high ranges, but Kreativ Teknik had to be able to extend the low-end. “There was simply nowhere we could reasonably install a subwoofer without it looking out of place, so instead we installed a pair of Genelec 5041A active in-wall subwoofers, which are totally discreet and do the job perfectly,” recalled Daniel. “We faced the same problem in the dining area as well, so we got around that by installing a pair of Genelec 7350A SAM Studio subwoofers hidden in the base of a couple of sofas! The 7350As are perfect when space is limited yet they deliver absolutely premium performance. Furthermore, we could benefit from Genelec’s GLM software to handle any crossover or calibration issues, so it was an excellent solution.”
Daniel confirmed that the Genelec solution provided by Kreativ Teknik ticked a large number of boxes for the client. “Firstly, thanks to their wide range of loudspeakers and accessories, as integrators we are confident that we can rise to just about any challenge – as we proved at At PARK. We also appreciate that they are active loudspeakers, which makes installation even more straightforward. Secondly, there was a clear directive to work with manufacturers who offer sustainable solutions that will deliver reliable performance for many, many years. Finally, of course – and this is what makes Genelec such a great choice for these sorts of applicaions – is just the purity of the sound. It will never sound messy or woolly, even played at relatively high levels. What’s more, we don’t have to spend hours EQ-ing the system or tweaking audio settings because we know that Genelec will perform amazingly straight out of the box. The client is delighted and so are we.”
