MONARCH

About the Project
The cultural venue Monarch has been an established concert and event venue in Berlin’s music and cultural scene for many years and is located directly at Kottbusser Tor. The club provides an important platform for local, national and international independent artists. At the same time, the venue is located in direct proximity to residential buildings, making responsible management of sound emissions an important consideration.

Initial Situation
Before the measures were implemented, the venue’s structural sound insulation no longer met current requirements. In particular, the windows on the south side, as well as leaks on the north side, allowed sound to escape to the outside. Strong sound reflections within the event space also resulted in increased sound levels and greater transmission of sound energy to the building components.
To reduce the impact on the surrounding neighbourhood, various operational restrictions had already been introduced before the funding was granted. These included reduced PA volume, restrictions on the musical programme and a time limit on concert events. However, these measures also limited the artistic possibilities and the economic viability of the venue.

Measures

1. Soundproof Windows
An internal soundproof window system was installed along the southern window front. As the historic existing windows had to be preserved due to the building’s listed status, a second, modern and fully sealed soundproofing layer was installed in front of the existing windows. This significantly improved the sound insulation of the entire window front.

2. Sound Absorbers in the Event Space
Specially adapted sound absorbers were manufactured and installed in acoustically relevant areas of the event space. This reduced disruptive sound reflections and reverberation and improved the room acoustics. Sound energy is now distributed in a more controlled way within the room, resulting in less energy being transmitted to the exterior building components.

3. Sealing of the North Side
The north side of the event space was comprehensively sealed. This included sealing joints, connections between masonry and other building elements, frame areas and other sources of air leakage. This reduced sound leakage and improved the overall sound insulation of the building.

Result
The measures implemented have led to a significant improvement in the venue’s sound insulation. In particular, the new internal soundproof window system significantly reduces sound radiation through the southern window front. The improved room acoustics also mean that less sound energy is transmitted to windows, walls and other exterior building components.
Overall, the amount of sound energy emitted to the outside has been significantly reduced, creating the basis for a more sustainable operation of the venue while taking the surrounding neighbourhood into account.