Crafting high-quality audio

Tateside delivers comprehensive audio-visual solutions across at the newly opened Soho House Brighton Beach House Club.

Soho House Brighton, part of the globally recognised brand of exclusive members clubs, recently underwent a comprehensive AV system integration through Tateside, a leading audio-visual integrator based in London. 

This complete fit-out project aimed to provide Soho House members with a consistent, high-end experience through top-tier audio-visual solutions installed across multiple spaces within the club, including live DJ areas, restaurants, meeting spaces and the outdoor swimming pool area.

An 11-year client relationship

We began working with the Soho House brand in 2013 and have been involved in extensive fit-outs at several new clubs over the past decade, starting with Dean Street, Greek Street and 180 The Strand in London, followed by several clubs in major European cities, such as Rome, Paris, Copenhagen and Stockholm; explains Jack Cornish, Technical Director at Tateside. “Soho House Brighton is one of the latest additions to the chain and combines all the usual Soho House and Soho Works spaces within a beach club format due to the site’s location on the seafront.”

The scope of the project encompassed various rooms and spaces within Soho House Brighton, all requiring unique audio-visual solutions. Soho House required an emphasis on combining nightclub-grade audio and high-end meeting solutions with discreet aesthetics to blend with retro-inspired interior design. Environments treated within the project include a live performance area and event space, Cecconi’s restaurant, club spaces including lounge and informal meeting areas, an outdoor chill-out area with a swimming pool, and corporate spaces within the events space part of the club.

Preferred brands for the perfect environment

With the benefit of having worked closely with the client for several years, the specification stage involved designing the client’s preferred brands into the new space in a way that would ensure a familiar experience for Soho House members.

“Alongside a consistency in look and feel across the Soho House club family, we needed to achieve a sonic signature using DSP and subwoofers to create a ‘sonic hug’,” continues Cornish. “Soho House places a high value on music, so in terms of specification, there aren’t so many cost considerations; the emphasis is largely on delivering high-quality audio.”

The background audio

Soho House chose a fixed solution consisting of Martin Audio’s compact DD series loudspeakers and SX series subwoofers to provide background music across all areas, including the entrance, bar, restaurant, lobby areas and WCs. The speaker system is powered by QSYS DSP and Bose Dante amplifiers. The outdoor pool area, terrace and bar also received an installed Martin Audio solution with marine-grade protection, including CDD6 ultra-compact loudspeakers and SX112 subwoofers in a white finish.

Alongside the fixed system, we included a portable PA system from K-array in a custom ‘Brighton Green’ finish. Each K-array Pinnacle system includes two Kayman KY102 metre-long passive column loudspeakers mounted on a Thunder subwoofer. We provided two portable systems plus four K-array Mastiff stage monitors, giving flexibility for live performances in the outdoor area.

Live sound audio-visual solutions

The party continues inside, where the performance area features a d&b audiotechnik performance-grade sound system, DMX lighting system and complete DJ kit, including a Pioneer mixer, Technics turntables with Genelec 8020D two-way studio monitors.

As mentioned, the Brighton Club also encompasses an events space hired by companies and brands and offers flexible meeting rooms and work areas. The open meeting space can be divided into two or four separate sub-divisible rooms, requiring a versatile AV solution that could cater to various users. “It was important to ensure users can drive their meetings using their devices,” explains Cornish. “A bring-your-own-device set-up was required, backed by professional audio and video hardware, as many users are from the creative and media industries. Hence, they need to be able to view or listen to high-quality projects.”

Flexible sub-divisible meeting spaces

Each sub-divisible meeting room has a flexible audio-visual solution designed to deliver a seamless, fuss-free user experience. Each space includes a Samsung 55” 4K display concealed in joinery with Future Automation Lifts or behind artwork on cantilver brackets. Blustream receivers and transmitters handle video and audio distribution via a Dante network. Video conferencing is through a Huddly IQ wide-angle camera, while Shure Linear Array microphones ensure clear audio capture. Each meeting room is controlled via a Crestron wall-mounted touch screen.

It’s also possible to combine the individual meeting spaces to create a single large event space thanks to the QSYS DSP and Blustream HDMI distribution system. Users can easily set up a primary room and distribute the content to any of the screens in the venue.

An increasingly common experience, procurement presented a challenge on this project due to the sheer quantity of equipment needed and tight deadlines. “Since the 2020 pandemic and the volatile supply chain that followed, we’ve learnt to be agile in sourcing required components for our projects,” reflects Cornish. “Due to procurement challenges, the past four Soho House AV integrations have moved onto a Q-Sys DSP system, resulting in a more unified system with greater flexibility. Despite initial hesitancy from the client, the move has proved positive for Soho House.”

IP-based network infrastructure management

Alongside AV integration, we handle the IP-based network infrastructure, which gives them greater autonomy over the system, whilst further improving the client experience. “We provide Soho House a turnkey solution, not only at Brighton but across almost the entire brand family,” explains Cornish. “Through our experience of working with Soho House, we know the process and expectations of the brand. We’re here to provide technical advice and recommendations, too. We’re not just an integrator.”

We recently  announced the launch of its dedicated Managed Services division, and Soho House Brighton is one of the clients that benefit from the peace of mind provided by ongoing support in the form of a Service Level Agreement (SLA). “If there’s an issue, our remote access to the site means that we can run diagnostics straight away, ensuring minimal downtime and a rapid resolution,” says Cornish. “We can identify and replace faulty kits straight away, and we also guarantee regular maintenance visits to the site.”

Tateside’s commitment to understanding Soho Houses’ brand expectations is pivotal in its ability to deliver on-brand AV solutions time and again. “Ultimately, Soho House is all about creating beautiful-looking spaces,” concludes Cornish. “Through custom joinery and careful positioning of tech, we can create solutions that blend seamlessly into the aesthetic of these spaces and deliver the desired quality.”

A trusted partnership

The ongoing involvement in Soho House projects is a testament to the success of the Brighton Beach House Club AV integration. By providing considered solutions that serve both the client’s and the end user’s expectations, we strengthen our position as a trusted partner in enhancing the Soho House experience around the globe.

“We’re proud to work with Soho House, a brand known worldwide and shares our values regarding audio and appreciation for music,” concludes Cornish. “Through our ongoing Service Agreements and the brand’s expansion in other locations, we look forward to continuing our collaboration for years to come.”

Whether it be meeting spaces, live sound or background audio, we have all the in-house expertise to help you. Get in touch if you have a project you would like to discuss.