When luxury property developer Damac required a communal cinema provider for their Versace tower project in Nine Elms, they selected us. We were thrilled when we were chosen to deliver this elegant private cinema screening room.
With 50 stories, the Damac tower is an iconic new feature of the city skyline. The architectural design ensures stunning views from every aspect, with exceptional Winter Gardens offering panoramic views of the city. Damac’s collaboration with design house Versace provides residents with the finest experience in luxury branded living.
Communal Cinema Room for Damac Tower in London
The comprehensive residents’ facilities include a pool, jacuzzi, gym, playroom, playgrounds, communal gardens and, of course, the residents’ communal cinema.
The private cinema room (communal cinema) is available for the residents of the tower to book privately or to use as a community (for example, for screenings of sports matches). Aesthetically, the cinema room provides a comfortable and luxurious setting for residents to enjoy the cinematic experience.
From a technical perspective, we ensured that the room was straightforward for the residents to use. The audio and visual elements had to deliver a great experience for the residents, and at the same time provide excellent value for the developer.
We provided a front projection system, with an ultra-short throw laser projector and a fixed-frame cinema screen. We used an Anthem MRX1140 receiver, which supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, IMAX Enhanced, DTS-X and HDR.
Bowers and Wilkins Loudspeakers
We selected Bowers and Wilkins 703 S32 floor-standing loudspeakers for the front left and right channels. These are three-way loudspeakers, and the technical features include a decoupled carbon dome tweeter, a decoupled Continuum™ cone FST midrange and Aerofoil™ Profile bass cones. The loudspeakers provide a frequency response of 46Hz – 28kHz ±3dB and a sensitivity of 89dB SPL.
For the centre speaker, we selected a high-performance Bowers and Wilkins HTM71 S2. This potent speaker features two dedicated bass drivers and an FST™ Continuum™ cone midrange. With a frequency response of 50Hz – 28kHz ±3dB and sensitivity of 89dB SPL, the centre channel provides incredibly precise dialogue.
To provide balance with the high-performing front array, we chose Bowers and Wilkins 705 S2 loudspeakers for the surround and rear channels. These are two-way stand-mount speakers, with a frequency response of 50Hz – 28kHz ±3dB and a sensitivity of 88dB SPL.
These speakers have a solid body “Tweeter-on-Top” design which is borrowed from the B&W 800 Series Diamond.
Finally, for the low-frequency effects, we opted for two Bowers and Wilkins DB3D Subwoofers. These were compact enough to sit unobtrusively within the room yet powerful enough to produce a frequency response of 10Hz – 350 Hz -3dB and a maximum power output of 1000W. They feature twin 8-in Aerofoil™ drivers and a 1000-watt amplifier.
In Conclusion
Our client was extremely pleased with the outcome of the communal cinema project. We were able to provide a high-performance cinema which met their budget requirements. We were brought in at a fairly late stage and, consequently, the room was already constructed and decorated when we became involved with the project. This meant that we would need to find practical solutions to issues such as cabling routes and ensuring that the installation was professional and discreet.
Further Reading
For further reading, please see another communal residents’ cinema, or perhaps the demo room we created for PMC. For something a little different, here is a project we completed in The Shard.