Designing audio for large outdoor spaces
When music becomes atmosphere
Designing a sound system for large outdoor environments means facing a complex challenge:
fill the space evenly, without creating overly present or penalized areas, always maintaining a pleasant and natural listening experience.
The music must accompany, not invade.
It must be perceived in a balanced way at every point in the space, without imposing itself, without excessive concentration, without the feeling that the sound “comes from a specific point.”
In open spaces, gardens, courtyards, terraces, and event venues, sound does not behave as it does in an enclosed environment.
The absence of walls, varying distances, and the conformation of the area make a design approach based on distributed diffusion, rather than power, essential.
This approach was applied in a fantastic location: Sala Ricevimenti San Tommaso, in Polignano a Mare (Apulia, Italy), characterized by wide open spaces and a focus on aesthetics and staging.
Added to this is an increasingly central aspect: aesthetics.
In curated settings, audio cannot be an extraneous technical element, but must integrate with the architecture, materials and atmosphere of the place.
The project team
The implementation of the sound system was handled by Tesax di Giuseppe Quaranta(www.tesax.it), with particular attention to sound distribution and aesthetic integration in the various outdoor spaces. The project was developed with the support of Vito Scazzetta.
The design challenge
The needs that emerged in the design phase were clear:
- Homogeneous sound coverage over the whole area;
- Absence of “too much” spots and invasive volumes;
- Natural, pleasant and consistent spread in each zone;
- Aesthetic integration of speakers into the setup;
- Enhancement of the evening atmosphere through light as well.
The goal was not to impress with power, but to make the music feel good, everywhere.
The solution adopted
To meet these needs, a distributed broadcasting system was designed to cover
the entire event area evenly, with speakers strategically placed at different points in the space.
Installed configuration
The decision to use multiple speakers instead of a few high-powered spots resulted in a more even and natural sound perception, maintaining balanced and pleasant listening levels throughout the location.
Amplification has been sized to support the system reliably, without becoming a protagonist:
in this context, technology works unobtrusively, leaving room for experience.
The products chosen
SN120 with integrated LED
Sound diffusion and atmospheric light.
The SN120 speaker with integrated LED combines sound quality and decorative function: in the evening hours, the light helps define the atmosphere of the space, turning the speaker into a scenic as well as a functional element.
SN220 Corten effect finish
Textural Presence and Outdoor Integration.
The SN220 diffuser with Corten-effect finish was chosen for its ability to integrate into outdoor settings thanks to a textural and natural aesthetic that is consistent with curated outdoor environments and architecture with a contemporary character.
The result
The result is an audio system that does not just “sound good,” but actively contributes to the overall experience:
- Uniform sound perception in every zone;
- pleasant listening, with no peaks and no “noisy spots.”
- Aesthetic integration with the environment;
- added value in the evening thanks to LED light (where provided).
A concrete example of how sound, light and design can work together to enhance large outdoor spaces and transform music into atmosphere.
Do you have a project in mind?
We can help you figure out if this product is right for your environment and how best to integrate it, both acoustically and aesthetically.
