William Grant & Sons has unveiled a £13 million distillery expansion to create The Hendrick’s Gin Palace, designed to be a “playground for experimentation, invention and curiosity”. To really enhance the theme further, the brand called upon SONANCE when it came to creating an audio experience…
The new facility boasts two still houses and features a walled garden that leads to a Victorian inspired palm house, which sits between two botanical hot houses planted with an array of unusual botanicals and flora from around the globe. The second floor hosts a new laboratory for Hendrick’s master distiller Lesley Gracie as well as a lecture theatre and a bar. Intended to “inspire curiosity, open minds and serve as a platform for invention,” according to Pamela Selby, the global brand director for Hendrick’s, The Gin Palace is located within the grounds of one of Scotland’s most prestigious grain whisky distilleries (Girvan) and distils every drop of Hendrick’s Gin consumed around the world. Visits to The Hendrick’s Gin Palace are by invitation only.
The Challenge
Working with William Grant & Sons and the Hendrick’s brand team, the challenge was to provide an ambience within The Gin Palace that would complement and enhance the ‘platform for invention’. It required the installation of a near invisible audio and entertainment system for the dedicated spaces without compromising the interior design elements but versatile enough to handle different functions throughout the building. The system extends to the bar area, lecture theatre, lab and specially designed restrooms, as well as the connecting hallways. Providing ambient sound and sleek design, the audio installation preserves The Gin Palace’s exclusive interior design quality. This building-wide solution enables high performance sound for presentations in the lecture theatre, ambient sound in the bar area and background music in the Lab, as well as distributed 4K video, wireless control of the system and BYOD facilities, allowing guests to present without the complications associated with certain technologies.
Project requirements:
- Adjustable audio levels in zones
- 4K video distribution throughout
- Futureproof wired and wireless technology infrastructure
- Aesthetically complementary
- High audio performance and install quality
- Hardware and network security with remote monitoring
- Best application of technology for design consistency and reliability.
The solutions
Professional audio integration by Lairds of Troon means more than merely filling a room with sound. It prioritises design elements so that the audio system and environment coalesce to create the right atmosphere, which heightens the senses without distracting from the designer’s aesthetic vision for the space. For over 10 years, the technicians at Lairds have continually refined the art of achieving audio fidelity in tune with room design, and for The Gin Palace we created an excellent result, deploying a combination of award-winning Sonance in-wall and in-ceiling speakers and custom built, colour-coded speakers from Gallo Acoustics. For video The Hendrick’s Gin Palace installation uses a 43” Sony TV framed with Vitualton mirror glass in the Bar area, connected to a 4K Wyrestorm 4×4 matrix video distribution system providing seamless integration and flexibility when choosing video sources. Day-to day in the lecture theatre, a discreet short-throw Epson EB-670 projector and 220 x 165 cm Celexon manual screen do not intrude on the classic early 1900s room design.
“Lairds of Troon has worked with Sonance over a number of years to achieve excellent results for projects ranging from small residential to high end commercial builds,” explained Installer Mark Laird. “It provides a robust and reliable range that can accommodate any budget whilst still offering a quality that lasts for many years. Sonance amps and their architectural speakers make up the backbone of The Hendrick’s Gin Palace audio system.”
Equipment:
- Bar Area: 8 x Sonance VP66R
- Lesley Gracie’s Lab: 4 x Sonance VP66R
- Lecture Theatre: 6 x Sonance VP66R
- Corridors: 16 x Sonance VP66R
- WCs: Sonance VP66R
- Bar area, Lesley’s Lab, Lecture Theatre,
- Glasshouse, Corridors, WCs: 8 x Yamaha
- Music Cast WXA50 Amps
- Bar Area, Lecture Theatre:
- Wyrestorm MX-0404-HDBT-H2A-KIT 4K video distribution
- Lecture Theatre: Epson short throw projector and Celexon manual screen 220 x165 cm
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Main image credit: Sonance/The Hendricks Gin Palace
