KV2 Audio brings immersive storytelling to life inside Holovis’ spectacular dome attraction at Gunwharf Quays

The 1,300sqm portable venue was made up of two ApolloDomes created by Holovis in partnership with property developer Landsec. Inside one of the domes, the 360-degree curved interior provided an ideal surface for immersive projection. Using six Panasonic laser projectors, audiences were transported into Halloween and Christmas-themed worlds, with scenes projected across the surrounding dome while live actors and props blurred the boundaries of digital content and live theatre.

While the visual spectacle of the shows is what drew audiences in, sound reinforcement proved equally essential to the storytelling experience. Unlike conventional theatrical performances, the curved, malleable shell of the dome did not provide standard means of deployment for a sound system. “Any project inside a dome can present an audio designer with acoustical challenges,” says Alex Kunawicz, Head of Marketing & Business Development Director at Holovis. “As this project used a negative-pressure fan to hold up a projection liner, the reflections from the curved surface were every bit as problematic as we predicted.”

“The solution was to ensure we started with the highest quality signal and that no member of the audience was too far away from a direct sound source,” Kunawicz continues. Knowing that speech intelligibility and coverage were critical for audiences to follow the performances, Holovis opted for a KV2 Audio solution. “Known for their phenomenal resolution, and based on our previous experience with the products, we knew KV2 would give us the best foundation on which to build the show.”

Due to the unique shape of the venue, no loudspeakers could be elevated at the front of the dome without disrupting the projection surfaces or obstructing audience sightlines. This required a considered system design that could deliver the necessary performance while remaining unobtrusive. “We utilised a pair of carefully positioned CS6 passive loudspeakers mounted horizontally on two ESD1.15 subwoofers,” Kunawicz explains. “This provided ample volume for the entire seating area but, as anticipated, strong reflections from the dome surface affected speech intelligibility in the raised seating at the rear. To counter this, we added two pairs of ESD6 loudspeakers mounted on truss. The additional point source power lifted the speech intelligibility to ensure every guest enjoyed the same experience.”

The original concept behind the ApolloDomes was to introduce a new form of entertainment beyond traditional shopping and dining, encouraging visitors to stay longer and create additional opportunities for engagement with the surrounding retail and leisure facilities. At Gunwharf Quays, the concept demonstrated how immersive AV technology can transform a retail destination into a live entertainment venue, with KV2 ensuring that dialogue, music and sound effects worked seamlessly alongside the projected visuals and live performances.

“As always, the team at KV2 Audio were there for us every step of the way,” states Kunawicz. “We’re already planning the next deployment of our domes where KV2 will feature once again.”

KV2 system setup:

• 2× CS6
• 2× ESD1.15
• 4× ESD6

Design and integration:

• Holovis