Clarke Infinity has been in the installation market for over 25 years and was already a major player when EI interviewed company MD Simon Clarke for our Day In The Life Series way back when the magazine was first established.
This particular project underlines the company’s longevity as it was carried out for clients (Martin and Lisa) who the company has worked with before on several projects and properties over the years. The couple called Clarke in when their new home was in the very early stages of planning.
The couple wanted El Padrino (Spanish for Godfather) to be a fully integrated smart home where every detail was considered and central to the family’s plans was a home cinema; a room where they could relax and celebrate their passion for music, movies and entertaining.
Clarke Infinity was entrusted with making the clients’ dreams a reality – designing and creating a truly luxurious cinema room.
Clarke Infinity explains that the couple’s vision was a large home theatre that delivered a fully immersive big screen experience for the entire audience. The room needed to be both luxurious and comfortable with air conditioning throughout, but without the cinema being negativity impacted by the air-con noise and unsightly equipment.
Clarke Infinity used its extensive technological skills and industry knowledge to deliver exactly what the client had envisioned and then some. The team used acoustic modelling during the design stages which allowed a full treatment plan to be devised and implemented. Every element of the design was considered, from heavy access doors with noise control seals, to the creation of a sound lock corridor preventing the sound from travelling beyond the room.
The client wanted the room to be extremely comfortable and ambient which meant both the cinema and AV room required air conditioning. Clarke Infinity’s cinema design included a Barrisol stretched fabric ceiling and finishing to the interior walls; the Barrisol Clim ceiling is the first of its kind in the UK and demonstrates a number of technological advantages over alternative approaches.
The perforated stretched fabric evenly distributes the air, ensuring the ceiling becomes a diffuser for any sound coming from the air conditioning – as well as keeping any unsightly equipment out of view. The Barrisol Clim ceiling ensures that the HVAC equipment remains unseen and people using the room cannot feel it (as the velocity in the occupied area is around 0.2m/s and human beings cannot feel the air movement when the velocity is less than 0.3m/s).
In a little more detail, the air con system, in summer or winter, delivers conditioned air flowing gently over the outer walls. This eliminates any unpleasantly hot or cold walls and a natural flow of air develops throughout the space inside the room. Heat radiates through the entire surface of the ceiling, providing pleasant, gentle heat or coolness.
The design is also silent due to the unique approach– yet it delivers a luxurious finish and allows the air-conditioning to keep the room at the perfect temperature.
The Clarke Infinity team worked closely with the air conditioning company and specified every detail, from the placement of equipment and pipework, inclusion of broad band absorbers and creation of void to deaden sound. The result of the various acoustic solutions Clarke deployed is less than 15db of audible external, background noise, which is inaudible from any of the seating positions.
As well as the cutting edge air treatment system, the team also looked to the high-performance end of the market when considering the audio visual equipment installed.
Control4 offers ease of use and control for the cinema which includes a Kaleidescape content delivery system partnering a Sim2 projector. Lutron lighting is also present as are a compliment of Wisdom speakers and amplification. Striking seating from Fortress completes the look and offers total comfort when enjoying the room.
Simon from Clarke Infinity says, “It is always lovely to assist a client over the years and to be a part of their property journey. The Barrisol Clim ceiling and acoustic solutions takes the cinema to the next level in luxury with HVAC you can’t see, feel or hear! The cinema is sensational.”
Importantly, the client agrees, “The end result has blown me away – just wonderful. We have been thoroughly impressed by the work of Clarke Infinity; they really care about every single detail. I am enjoying all our old movies again, along with the new ones. The cinema is easily our favourite room of the new house.”
Clarke Infinity also recently announced that the cinema has been shortlisted as a finalist within the EMEA Home Cinema category of the 2020 CEDIA Awards which will be announced during a special ‘virtual’ ceremony this October.
Essential Kit List
Barrisol Cinematech Acoustic treatment
Control4 C4-EA5-V2 EA-5 Entertainment and Automation Controller
Sim 2 Nero 4S DLP 4K UHD Projector
Kaleidescape 4K Ultra HD movie player
Lutron lighting
Fortress Kensington seating
Wisdom Audio Sage Cinema Line Source Planar Magnetic Cinema speakers
Wisdom Audio STS RTL subwoofer
Wisdom Audio SA-3 amplifier