This homeowner is using his own ultra-minimalist home as a showroom for his AV install business, with ELAN, SpeakerCraft, and Sunfire at the heart of a whole house AV and automation system.
These brands from the Nortek family have been on a bit of a charge of late, and this project underlines the renewed ambition they have for the European market.
The Algarve region, spread out along the southern coast of Portugal, is an attractive sliver of southern Europe that has for a long time been a favourite of locals and tourists alike.
Bart Hoogwerff Eikelenboom, founder of Netherlands-based Spark Custom Electronics set out to build a home and AV showroom in one, he chose the Algarve as the perfect place to demonstrate his most trusted brands Nortek Security & Control family.
“I wanted this home to emulate the vibe of the Algarve region, making it as comfortable and easy as the surrounding region by using architecture and technology,” says Bart. “To accomplish this level of relaxation and ease-of-use without complexity, I controlled every facet of the home with ELAN, which is flexible, easy-to-configure, and extremely intuitive. It brings a certain level of relaxation. It’s also the perfect setting to show interested parties what ELAN is capable of.”
Bart says the technology ties together every aspect of the expansive 6,000-square foot property, which was designed by noted architect Vasco Vieira. In such a spectacular setting, naturally the exterior of the property is a major focus. A suspended infinity pool overflows into a smaller pool on the garden level below, olive trees bloom in the garden beside a koi pond and a sprawling terrace offers ocean views. Indoors, a home cinema, gym, multiple bedrooms and bathrooms all showcase the minimalist architecture and design.
Complete control
ELAN controls the home’s audio, video, lighting, climate, automated shades, irrigation, pool and spa, security, bio fuel fireplace, and the filter system in both the outdoor koi fish pond and infinity pool. Bart’s family is able to control the system from anywhere in the home, using the ELAN App on their smartphones, or several strategically placed ELAN 12in in-wall touch-panels throughout the residence. They are also able to easily check in on every subsystem remotely, including monitoring security camera footage from their smart phones.
While designing the system during the initial planning process, entertainment was the focal point. That’s why Bart configured each room to include sound amplification and control from ELAN multi-room amplifiers, paired with dozens of SpeakerCraft loudspeakers and Sunfire subwoofers.
“Sunfire and SpeakerCraft provide a 360-degree audio experience throughout the entire home that is truly unparalleled,” says Bart.
Also incorporated are several architectural elements throughout the house to amplify sound even further. For example, the living room’s fireplace is made of SINH board, a fire-resistant material with strong acoustic properties, which supports the sound system.
“In the living room, the SINH board above the fireplace supports Sunfire IW8 In-wall subwoofers and SpeakerCraft in-wall speakers,” explains Bart. “With Sunfire and SpeakerCraft quality, and the acoustic SINH board, the audio throughout the living room and the entire home is extraordinary.”
Lets go outside
The sound system continues to the outdoor area, adding an extra level of enjoyment to accompany the sea views and other water focused areas such as the pool and koi pond. The exterior also features a full outdoor kitchen and patio.
“The SpeakerCraft OE Series loudspeakers together with the in-ground SpeakerCraft Boom Tomb subwoofer provide a crystal-clear audio experience in the open air,” says Bart, noting that the outside space was specifically built to blend in with the natural surroundings of the region. “The speaker placement and the bass delivered by the in-ground sub helps connect the house and the outside surroundings, which also gives a friendly and lively feeling. The audio continues indoors and out, and the quality remains consistent. It fuses perfectly with our open architecture.”
The ELAN system also controls the outdoor pool and koi pond. The infinity pool is unique in that it is suspended, and flows directly into the koi pond below. The overflow area contains the pool’s filtration system, and both the koi pond and the pool run on two separate systems, but are designed to work together efficiently.
“With ELAN, both systems are easily controllable,” Bart explains. “I can operate everything, including the jet streams, the waterfall, and the pond from my phone with ELAN.”
The home is also energy-efficient, as a Tesla Powerwall stores excess energy from solar panels to provide power at night. The solar panels on the roof heat the water from the ground, which also provides the floor heating. Additionally, the swimming pool pumps in the basement consume fifty percent less energy than usual.
This dream house was not achieved without a few bumps in the road during the construction process, but Bart is proud to be showcasing his home installation business with such a spectacular back-drop.
“Not only do I get to enjoy this stunning home with my family, but it serves as an asset to my business because I can take interested customers on a tour,” Bart enthuses, “This home really showcases what the ELAN system is capable of and how audio can connect and elevate spaces throughout a residence.”
All images courtesy of Marcelo Lopes – Arquimais Architecture And Design
