Revier Südost (RSO)

About the Project
RSO.Berlin is a club and event venue located on the site of the former Bärenquell brewery in Berlin-Niederschöneweide. With its various indoor and outdoor spaces, the club offers a diverse programme and is part of Berlin’s club and cultural scene. The OPAN Floor is located in the outdoor area of the site and is an open-air dancefloor surrounded by residential buildings.

Initial Situation
Although the outdoor sound system was regularly calibrated and sound level measurements were carried out, including measurements directly inside neighbouring apartments, it was consistently confirmed that the officially prescribed noise limits were complied with at all times of day and night. Nevertheless, there had been ongoing complaints from the surrounding neighbourhood. In particular at night, this led to interventions by the authorities, including one incident in which an event was forcibly ended by the police. This resulted in significant economic losses as well as a lasting impact on the club’s reputation.

The underlying issue was therefore not a measurable exceedance of the applicable noise limits, but rather the perception of the sound emissions. Despite operating in compliance with the applicable regulations, local residents perceived the sound emissions as disruptive, particularly in the low-frequency range. The aim of the project was therefore to reduce the actual sound radiation towards the neighbouring residential buildings through structural and technical measures. At the same time, the project sought to sustainably reduce complaints and ensure the club’s long-term operational viability.

Measures

1. Extension of the Sound System
The existing sound system was expanded with ten additional loudspeakers and operated in a directional cardioid array configuration. This directional sound pattern significantly reduces sound radiation, particularly upwards and towards the neighbouring buildings.

2. Broadband Absorbers Above the Dancefloor
Additional broadband absorbers were installed above the dancefloor. The absorbers are supported by a specially constructed truss system and reduce the vertical propagation of sound.

3. Extension of the Existing Absorption Wall
The existing absorption wall at the end of the dancefloor was extended with additional broadband absorbers. This further reduces sound radiation towards the surrounding residential buildings.

4. Recalibration and Monitoring
Following completion of the installation, the entire sound system was recalibrated. All components were checked and the emission levels were verified. Further sound level measurements were carried out to assess the effectiveness of the measures.

Result
The measurements carried out following completion of the measures indicate that the project was successfully implemented. With the volume on the dancefloor remaining unchanged, significantly lower sound levels were measured at some of the monitoring points in the surrounding neighbourhood.

Since completion of the measures, no further complaints have been received from the surrounding neighbourhood and there have been no further interventions by the authorities. The project objective of reducing sound emissions in the surrounding area while maintaining the quality of the club’s operations has therefore been achieved.