Historic hospitality environments depend heavily on atmosphere. At YU Garden in Shanghai , architecture, landscape, and cultural identity define the visitor experience. Sound plays a quieter role, but one that is just as important: shaping how people move through the space, how long they stay, and how comfortable they feel while doing so. In a setting where visual elements must remain untouched and authentic, the audio system was designed to blend into the environment, providing clarity and consistency without drawing attention to itself.
Sound challenges in open, heritage environments
YU Garden combines outdoor courtyards, covered walkways, interior hospitality areas, and transitional zones, each with different acoustic behaviour. Visitor density changes constantly throughout the day, and background noise varies depending on location and time.
The challenge was not volume, but control to ensure that background music and announcements remained intelligible and evenly distributed, without disturbing the calm atmosphere or competing with the architectural character of the space.
Project objectives
The audio design for YU Garden was guided by several clear objectives:
- To create a consistent and comfortable sound environment across all areas
- To maintain clear speech intelligibility for announcements and guidance
- To integrate loudspeakers discreetly into traditional and contemporary structures
- To enable centralised monitoring and system control
- To ensure reliable performance in a high‑traffic, all‑day hospitality destination
A distributed and discreet audio solution
To achieve these goals, the system was built around a distributed audio architecture, allowing sound to be adapted to each zone without relying on high sound pressure levels.
eMOTUS5OD & eMOTUS8OD and AMBIT-16 loudspeakers were selected to suit the different spatial and acoustic needs of the site. EMOTUS models provide clarity and controlled dispersion in interior and semi‑covered areas, while AMBIT loudspeakers support outdoor and transitional zones, offering durability and discreet visual integration.
At the core of the system, MIMO7272DN acts as the main processing device, managing routing, zoning, and signal control across the installation. A MIMO Dante setup was used to distribute audio efficiently throughout the site.
Audio playback is handled by a DUO-NET PLAYER, ensuring stable and consistent content delivery, while VIDA-24Q amplifiers provide reliable power and efficiency for continuous daily operation.
System configuration, supervision, and adjustments are managed through EclerNet Manager, allowing centralised control of the entire installation and simplifying long‑term operation.
Results: sound that respects the environment
The completed system delivers a balanced and natural audio experience that supports the identity of YU Garden rather than competing with it. Background music remains present but unobtrusive, and announcements are clear without interrupting the overall atmosphere.
Visitors experience:
- Even sound coverage across diverse architectural zones
- Clear communication without excessive volume
- Loudspeakers that blend naturally into the environment
- A stable, centrally managed system designed for daily public use
At YU Garden, sound works quietly in the background, enhancing hospitality and visitor comfort while allowing heritage, architecture, and landscape to remain at the forefront.
Source: Ecler — original article on ecler.com.
