An L-Acoustics professional sound system was recently installed in the grand lobby of the Atlantis The Royal, a luxury hotel in Dubai with 17 restaurants and the world’s largest jellyfish aquarium.
The grand lobby of Atlantis The Royal is an expansive space spanning 80m, with soaring 20m ceilings and dramatic floor-to-ceiling glass walls. This impressive architecture created a unique challenge – to deliver concert hall audio quality while preserving the visual sophistication of one of Dubai’s most striking interior spaces. Creative Technology Middle East (CTME) took charge of the integration,
Custom-coloured L-Acoustics X Series and S Series speakers were designed to blend into the architectural elements while delivering uniform coverage across multiple levels. The system was chosen to offer subtle ambiance during daytime hours, then power vibrant evening performances, while remaining virtually invisible to guests.
L-Acoustics says CTME chose the company’s “most architecturally refined products”. The ultra-slim Syva colinear arrays, measuring just 170mm wide, integrate into architectural columns and wall edges, while compact Soka speakers disappear into the structure’s design elements.
Fourteen 5XT coaxial enclosures are concealed within the wall mouldings at height, providing coverage to the upper levels of the space. This carefully positioned array of speakers is designed to ensure consistent, high-quality sound throughout the expansive lobby.
The system is completed by four SB10i and six Syva Low subwoofers for rich, deep low-end frequencies, with four LA2Xi and two LA4X amplified controllers providing power and two Auvitran AVBx3 audio networking devices.
Huw Godfrey, head of system integration at Creative Technology Middle East (CTME), commented: “The brief called for an audio system that could meet the highest professional standards while respecting the lobby’s dramatic architecture. We designed a discrete solution that delivers exceptional versatility – providing both refined background music and concert-quality live performances without compromise – even in a space defined by soaring glass walls and reflective surfaces.”
Danny Lord, senior project manager at CTME, added: “We’ve created an audio environment that enhances the space, complementing the venue’s architectural magnificence while delivering exceptional sound quality. L-Acoustics was chosen for its ability to seamlessly connect to the existing Q-SYS infrastructure, provide custom RAL colour options, and deliver a sleek design that could be invisibly integrated into the space.”
