Meyer Sound powers Bordeaux digital arts centre
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Bassins des Lumières relies on zoned distributed systems of more than 80 Meyer Sound loudspeakers, including - for the most problematic acoustics - 36 CAL 32 column array loudspeakers with advanced digital beam steering.
All video, audio, and lighting systems for Bassins des Lumières were designed and installed by the French integration firm CADMOS. Project manager and sound designer was Philippe Wojtowicz, aka Wojto, who worked in collaboration with Best Audio, Meyer Sound’s French distributor, on the audio side of the endeavour.
“With the water and the flat concrete walls, this is an extremely reverberant environment,” notes Wojto, “yet we had to cover all the places where people would be standing with uniform sound levels. This would be almost impossible with conventional loudspeakers, but with CAL 32 we could focus the sound only where it was wanted. Depending on the placement, we would adjust the beam to between 10 and 15 degrees with a tilt between seven and 20 degrees, giving us a defined range of about 15m.”
Several other locations requiring broader coverage patterns with high-quality sound are served by Meyer Sound’s ULTRA‑X40 loudspeakers, with a total of 12 deployed. “We are using these for spaces in the quay and we are very satisfied with the performance,” says Wojto. “They are powerful, precise, yet discreet.”
The audio systems also include 10 slender UPM‑1P loudspeakers and, for low-frequency extension, 33 USW‑210P subwoofers.
“The management of Bassins des Lumières has been very satisfied with the rendering of the sound, particularly given the extremely difficult acoustical spaces,” says Wojto.
On the visual side, the artworks are displayed with brilliant intensity and exacting detail by 95 Barco projectors, with content sourced from more than 30 Modulo Kinetic media servers.
Bassins des Lumières was created by Paris-based Culturespaces, operating under a lease agreement with the owner of the property, the City of Bordeaux. Conversion of the bomb-damaged structure into a showplace of art required an investment of more than 10m euros by Culturespaces. Construction began in 2018, with the first pandemic-limited exhibition - featuring the works of Paul Klee and Gustav Klimt - debuting in June of 2020. Current on the programme are Venice, the Serenissima; Sorolla: Walks by the Sea; Recoding Entropia; and Cell Immersion.
