ÆDEN

About the project
The Burg Schnabel club on the Lohmühleninsel has been around since 2016 and was relaunched in 2021 under the name ÆDEN. Open-air events are an important part of the club and, during the Corona restrictions, were temporarily the only way for the venue to reopen. Daytime dance events are an important part of the club’s identity and play a significant role in the economic viability of the project.

Initial situation
Residents on Heckmannufer felt disturbed by the open-air events and repeatedly complained to the environmental authority or called the police. Despite several meetings with the neighbourhood and regular communication with the environmental authority, it was not possible to achieve a suitable volume for dancing with the existing, limited sound system. The surrounding surfaces that reflected sound also made the situation more difficult.
The aim was therefore to improve the sound situation in the open-air area and create the conditions for dance events with an appropriate volume, while reducing the impact on the surrounding neighbourhood.

Measures

1. Soundproofing Wall
A 15 × 6 metre soundproofing wall was built between the open-air floor and the rest of the outdoor area. The wall helps to shield the sound, particularly its upward and diagonal propagation towards the neighbouring buildings. It was professionally constructed, double-insulated and fitted with sound insulation mats on both sides.

2. Sound Locks
Two sound locks were built between the open-air floor and the rest of the outdoor area. These further reduce the spread of sound beyond the dancefloor.

3. New Sound System
A new near-field sound system with a 2 × 4-point configuration was purchased and installed. The system is based on the KV2 ESD 10.

4. Low-Frequency Sound System
Four KV2 ESD bass loudspeakers were additionally purchased and installed in an Endfire arrangement. This allows the low-frequency sound to be directed more precisely and helps to reduce its impact on the surrounding area.

Result
The measures made it possible to increase the volume on the dancefloor during the day by almost 16 dB. This created the conditions for establishing an open-air floor where both DJs and bands from different genres can perform.
Despite the increased sound output, complaints from neighbouring residents were completely eliminated. The project therefore succeeded in improving the conditions for open-air events while significantly reducing the impact on the surrounding neighbourhood.