Jens Walther
Preparation and installation of the loudspeaker system in “The Sound-Embracing Atrium”
The AV integrator Stouenborg has designed and installed the extensive loudspeaker system suspended throughout the Sound-Embracing Atrium. American manufacturer Meyer Sound supplied the 187 active loudspeakers, DSP processors, and the Spacemap Go software, which serves as the central nervous system for sound control, positioning, and movement within the large-scale installation.
Presentation of the installer and consultant
Stouenborg is a company based in Tåstrup, specializing in custom AV, sound, and lighting installations. The core pillars of the company’s work include theatre, live shows, museums, installations, and consultancy. Several employees have backgrounds in the theatre world, which means that storytelling through technology is deeply embedded in the company’s DNA. They excel at bridging technical execution with artistic intent.
Over the years, Stouenborg has received numerous awards for its consultancy, design, and installation work—most recently for their AV installation in the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s Life Campus building in Lyngby.
Presentation of the system
The Sound-Embracing Atrium is a coherent audio system consisting of 187 loudspeakers, where sound can be routed precisely to a single speaker or to any group of speakers. In theory, a group may consist of anything from two speakers to all speakers in the system.
In accordance with the building’s architecture and spatial layout, the installation can physically be considered as three interconnected systems: an atrium installation, a corridor-area installation, and a café/lounge installation.
The atrium spans five floors. On each level, eleven Meyer Sound UP-4slim loudspeakers are mounted along the atrium edge, supplemented by three USW-112P subwoofers. At the top of the atrium are triangular skylights, from which three more powerful Meyer Sound X-22 loudspeakers are suspended, aimed downward to project sound into the atrium space.
The distance to the loudspeakers and the distribution of sound throughout the space mean that sound art and audio communication are perceived very differently depending on the listener’s position in the building. The experience changes depending on which floor you are on and how close you are to the railing that separates the corridor areas from the central atrium space. The loudspeakers are integrated into custom enclosures built directly into these railings.
Anders Jørgensen from Stouenborg, who is responsible for the installation in the new UCSyd building, describes the intended sound experience:
“You will be able to stand on a specific floor and experience a soundscape designed precisely for that position in the space. For example, the sound of balls could cascade from the top floor down through the atrium levels, or the sound could be guided out into the corridor area on a specific floor. Technically, this means the focus is more on controlling sound levels within the system rather than achieving long-range sound projection down to floor level.”
The corridor areas are equipped with Meyer Sound Ashby ceiling loudspeakers, distributed extensively throughout all corridors and shared spaces. The number varies from floor to floor, and on the first floor—where the canteen and large common lounge are located—ceiling loudspeakers are also installed in these areas.
In the lounge area, the system is supplemented with three X20 loudspeakers and four USW-210P subwoofers. With direct access to these systems, the space can function as a bar and event venue, where the loudspeakers can either be connected to or isolated from the Sound-Embracing Atrium system.
Suspension and installation of the loudspeakers
Suspending loudspeakers in the atrium space has not been without challenges. The railings and longitudinal architectural elements that define the atrium are interrupted by a series of enclosures that house the loudspeakers. The loudspeakers could not be installed until the main construction work was completed, but power and signal cabling were installed early while rear access to the enclosures was still possible.
As a result, loudspeaker installation is among the very last tasks carried out in the building before handover.
The loudspeakers can only be mounted from the front—that is, from within the tall atrium space itself. For this work, Stouenborg rented a large lift, allowing them to install loudspeakers up to the second floor independently. For the upper two floors and the triangular skylight section at the very top of the building, external assistance was required.
Here, the company Peak Safety was brought in. Peak Safety specializes in installing equipment in height-challenging environments. The work involved two technicians at height and one safety supervisor, who also hoisted the loudspeakers up to the technician suspended in climbing gear on the outside of the atrium—up to 25 meters above floor level. The work was carried out professionally and safely despite the extreme height.
Once each loudspeaker was installed, a quick sound test was performed while the installer was still suspended next to the unit. Phase alignment was also checked at this stage to ensure correct system performance.
Installation of DSP control and system cabling
All cabling was also carried out by Stouenborg. The cables from the many loudspeakers converge in a room on the second floor, which also serves as the technical room for the recording studio that Sonic College will use for teaching.
This room houses professional equipment racks, two of which are dedicated to the atrium loudspeaker installation. These contain twelve Meyer Sound Galaxy DSP processors and a substantial number of power supplies that remotely feed power to the many active loudspeakers in the atrium system.
Audio and power for each loudspeaker are carried via a single cable, requiring only a 5-pin XLR connection at the loudspeaker. In the audio distribution chain, an Auvitran converter box sits in front of all Galaxy DSP processors, translating between the various audio formats used throughout the building.
The atrium installation uses AVB as its primary digital protocol, distributed via network connections. However, the system must also be accessible via other protocols such as Dante, AES3, and, of course, analog audio—tasks handled by the Auvitran converter.
The racks were assembled and thoroughly tested at Stouenborg’s offices in Tåstrup, where they underwent a 40-day stress test, including repeated power cycling. During rack installation, all signals were monitored using pink noise, providing a clear indication of any potential faults.
Søren Siig is responsible at Stouenborg for rack design, assembly, cable termination, and all soldering work associated with such a large-scale installation. He explains the installation philosophy:
“The idea is that you first design the system, then document it, and only then build it. Everything that can be built and tested off-site is done there, and nothing is installed without being thoroughly documented. Both racks and cabling are fully tested before delivery. This makes troubleshooting much easier. If I hear about an issue, I can start at the very last link—the loudspeaker—because I know everything else has already been tested.”
Stouenborg has developed templates and tools across various software platforms to assist with system design, network solutions, and full documentation of the installation. Søren Siig explains that together with Bjarne Eskildsen—who handles loudspeaker mounting and cable installation on site—they share an ingrained, common logic developed through years of experience.
This logic governs numbering systems, installation paths through the building, testing, and procedures—a method that is deeply internalized and ensures that even in a project of this scale, errors are kept to an absolute minimum.
