Genelec helps create work-life balance for UNITY Aarhus
UNITY Living, a branch of new-build furnished apartments in the Nordics, is challenging the way we live and work by offering a modern and convenient approach with everything you need under one roof. The most recent hybrid accommodation to be added to the company’s portfolio is UNITY Aarhus. The 28-storey complex features advanced co-working spaces, fully equipped gyms, cosy lounge areas, cafes and a rooftop terrace – alongside its selection of hotel rooms and apartments. The entire complex has an impressive AV solution, which features 58 Genelec 4020 Installation loudspeakers.
The team behind the extraordinary project is TuneButler, a Copenhagen-based control manufacturer who knows all too well about the influence of good sound. “We have been working with UNITY since they opened their first location in Stockholm,” begins Kasper Hollænder, CEO of TuneButler. “They wanted to create an appealing atmosphere for customers and, of course, music and sound is a huge part of that.
With Genelec you have great sound everywhere, their products deliver without fail.
“In the previous builds, we supplied our audio-visual control solution and curated playlists to suit each environment, but at UNITY Aarhus we were also responsible for the entire design and installation of the AV system. Genelec is a brand that I know I can rely on for incredible sound and that’s why we chose them for UNITY.”
The vast building is architecturally magnificent, taking the form of winding steps down into the grounds of the city. Inside, UNITY Aarhus is minimalist, designed in collaboration with British design studio Tom Dixon. This is carried through to each area of UNITY, from the 652 rental apartments to the fitness centres, yoga studios, lounge spaces and meeting spaces, all of which required their own unique AV system.
“Each of the individual spaces demanded individual specifications, and the system also had to deliver information and services,” furthers Hollænder. “With Genelec you have great sound everywhere. Whether that’s in the meeting rooms, the home cinema, or a fitness environment where the bass is required to be a little punchier, Genelec’s products deliver without fail.
“Additionally, Genelec’s 4000 series comes with Euroblock connector terminals. This makes signal connections 75% faster as the speakers can be easily daisy-chained together. The sound and magnitude of the output compared to the speaker size is very effective, and they look great with the minimalist interior of UNITY.”
Three TuneButler MFB Music Players control both the background music and multiple NEC screens on the basement and ground floor, making it easy to choose the music across the multiple zones. At the centre of the system is a Q-SYS Core 8 Flex control processor that targets the processing requirements of the yoga studio, reception and lounge areas via Q-SYS iPads with zone control. Each of these areas features a selection of Genelec 4020 loudspeakers in both black and white finishes.
Genelec offers clear, intelligible audio that adapts to a range of unique settings.
On the first floor of UNITY Aarhus, TuneButler installed two black 4020 models in three separate meeting rooms, alongside three NEC MultiSync E658 screens and three Biamp Impera Uniform 8 control pads, which provide intuitive, user-friendly interfaces for each presentation room. Additionally, the library houses four 4020 loudspeakers in white.
A large events space sits on the 12th floor, where TuneButler integrated eight more 4020 loudspeakers, alongside a Biamp Impera Uniform 8, NEC MultiSync screen and a TuneButler MFB Media Player. “We have combined the control of digital signage with the same platform as background music, which makes the control of all the AV content in a space like UNITY very easy,” explains Hollænder.
“This was a demand from the client, since they wanted to spend less time controlling and more time being creative. We also realise the importance of music in an environment, and we selected the content for each environment individually. The Genelec system handles these diverse requirements very well, and we’ve had no problems at all with the audio.”
UNITY Aarhus is a project that fuses innovative AV technology from Nordic pioneers Genelec and exciting newcomers TuneButler to create a modern, multi-functional space. The integration of Genelec’s 4000 Series loudspeakers offers clear, intelligible audio that’s able to adapt to a range of unique settings. The result is a stunning example of how to strike a simple work-life balance with forward-thinking technology and design.
