Portrait Milano Hotel

Part of the prestigious Lugarno Collection, Portrait Milano integrates high-end audio solutions to elevate the guest experience across its luxurious spaces. Housed in a 16th-century Archiepiscopal Seminary, the challenge was to install a state-of-the-art system that would deliver high-quality sound while remaining visually unobtrusive.

Partnering with system integrators A3 System and NextDomus, K-array developed a tailored audio solution covering multiple areas, including dining, hospitality, events, and wellness. The largest space, 10_11 Bar, Giardino, Ristorante, required even sound distribution across its three zones. Fourteen K-array Vyper ultra-flat line array loudspeakers, featuring Pure Array Technology, were discreetly mounted on sleek poles to blend seamlessly with the aesthetic. Nine Rumble subwoofers, either recessed into walls or concealed under seating, provide deep, immersive bass. This setup ensures a premium, yet unobtrusive, audio experience for guests enjoying fine dining and social gatherings.

The Porticato, an open-air corridor lined with historical stone columns, required an audio system that could adapt to the outdoor environment. Here, a combination of Vyper loudspeakers and Rumble subwoofers was strategically installed to maintain clear and balanced audio without disrupting the architecture.

For the outdoor dining and garden areas, the design called for broader audio coverage. K-array Tornado and K-Gear GF22 point-source loudspeakers, known for their wide dispersion, were deployed, supported by Rumble subwoofers discreetly mounted to ceiling beams. The adjacent garden area features Kobra line array elements paired with Rumble subwoofers, creating a natural, immersive soundscape that enhances the tranquil outdoor setting.

Portrait Milano’s sub-divisible event space required a flexible audio system to cater to various configurations. K-array’s RAIL lighting and audio solution, along with Vyper and Kobra loudspeakers, provide a dynamic setup that can function independently or as a single unified system.

Finally, the Longevity Spa integrates K-array’s Lyzard ultra-compact loudspeakers, ensuring high-quality background audio that blends effortlessly into the spa’s serene environment. In treatment rooms, KGEAR GC6 ceiling loudspeakers enhance the relaxation experience, while in the pool area, Vyper loudspeakers and Rumble subwoofers deliver pristine sound in a high-humidity setting.
Powered by Kommander amplifiers with DSP fine-tuning, the system at Portrait Milano enhances every guest interaction.

Working in a 500-year-old building will always present challenges. The project encompassed three unique zones within the hotel, along with a subdivisible meeting space as well as the integration of audio in the hotel spa. The loudspeakers were not allowed to touch the walls, yet high quality audio had to be delivered throughout.

The largest space to consider at the Portrait Milano was the 10_11 Bar, Giardino, Ristorante. A long space, it is divided into three areas for dining, drinks and socialising. To avoid touching the walls or having a significant visual impact, K-Array Vyper ultra-flat aluminium line array loudspeakers in a sleek white finish were positioned individually on poles fixed to the walls. Rumble subwoofers provide low-end reinforcement, either recessed in the walls or hidden under built-in seating. Their Pure Array technology provided even coverage.

The two remaining hospitality areas, an open-air dining area and its adjoining garden, required a different approach, with tiny, wide dispersion Tornado point-source loudspeakers with Rumble subwoofers fixed to the ceiling beams. The garden itself comprised four Kobra, metre-long stainless steel line array elements also featuring Pure Array Technology, and a further three Rumble subwoofers create an immersive soundscape.

In the subdivisible meeting space, the control system was programmed to allow individual or combined room configurations, ensuring flexibility. However, the audio and lighting needed another creative approach for minimal visual impact. In the smallest meeting space RAIL by KSCAPE was used – a combined tunable lighting strip with built -n loudspeakers. For the larger rooms, a combination of Vyper and Kobra loudspeakers with Rumble subwoofers offer versatile options for presentations and audio for video conferencing. Each of the three rooms has its own sound system with individual room inputs, but for larger meetings, the user can easily configure the control system to ensure the loudspeakers work together as a single system.

Throughout the whole space systems had to be designed extremely sensitively, working closely with the designers for minimal visual impact. Cable routes had to be carefully planned and the systems were acoustically modelled to ensure even coverage was delivered despite the environmental challenges.

Portrait Milano exemplifies the seamless fusion of luxury and cutting-edge audio technology. The project preserves the historic beauty of a 16th-century seminary while delivering a high-performance, immersive sound experience. The integration of K-array’s discreet yet powerful solutions across multiple zones—from the 10_11 Bar to the Longevity Spa—demonstrates technical excellence and attention to guest experience. No other solution can provide loudspeakers capable of delivering such high quality, full range, evenly dispersed audio with minimal visual impact.

Delivering high-quality sound without detracting from the carefully curated interior design: The project showcases innovative installation techniques, including hidden subwoofers, pole-mounted arrays and humidity-resistant pool loudspeakers. This dedication to aesthetics and performance makes it a benchmark in luxury hospitality audio.