ARC COMMUNITY ELEVATES WELLNESS WITH MARTIN AUDIO CDD SOUND EXPERIENCE

Arc Community is redefining the wellness club in the heart of London's Canary Wharf, combining relaxation and contrast therapy within a vibrant, social setting. To create a soundscape capable of moving seamlessly from calm, unobtrusive daytime ambience to DJ-driven evening sessions, Arc turned to integrator Evolve AV and Martin Audio's CDD Series loudspeakers.

"It's a very fresh concept, there hasn't really been anything like it in the UK on this scale," says Elliot Patterson of Evolve AV. "It's quite an amazing space."

Focussing on contrast therapy - the alternation between intense heat and cold exposure to activate the body's natural stress and relaxation responses - the venue features a vast communal sauna seating up to 65 people, multiple ice baths, and a beautifully designed lounge area for relaxation and socialising.

Music plays an essential role throughout the venue, but it was in the Lounge that Patterson's team faced their most specific acoustic challenge: designing a sound system capable of shifting seamlessly between gentle background music for wellness sessions and the powerful output demanded by DJ sets.

"It's a multi-functional area that needs to be calm and relaxing during the day but capable of a big, immersive sound at night," he explains. "They have sessions called 'Arc After Dark', which are evening socials where DJs come in on certain nights."

The Arc After Dark events - "blending the invigorating power of contrast therapy with immersive soundscapes and aromatherapy" - transform the venue into a sauna party for up to 95 people.

To meet the audio demands, Evolve AV specified a combination of four Martin Audio CDD6 loudspeakers, supported by a compact Martin Audio SX210 subwoofer.

"The CDD6 is such a versatile box; it's a six-inch driver but it's incredibly punchy for its size," continues Patterson. "The cabinet design just works."

The Lounge itself is a square room, with seating arranged in a circle for breathing exercises and meditation, and maintaining a clean aesthetic was essential.

"We didn't want anything to take away from the aesthetic of the space," says Patterson. "The CDD6s are very discreet - you can walk in and you won't even notice them - but when you turn the system up, it sounds massive."