CASE STUDY – HOSPITALITY | ZELVA ROOFTOP

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ABOUT THE PROJECT

Zelva Rooftop stands out as one of the trendiest places in the thriving Colombian city of Pereira. Located atop the contemporary Oko Tower building, the space boasts a restaurant and bar set on a beautiful terrace. Its décor combines small trees and natural vegetation with warm-colored furnishings and open spaces to enjoy views of the city and nearby mountains.

Benefiting from a prime location in the thriving Eje Cafetero region of Colombia, Zelva Rooftop captures the dynamic energy of the area, making it an ideal destination for locals, professionals and tourists.

The space is divided into three main areas: the rooftop restaurant, a private lounge and an outdoor terrace. The cuisine offered provides an exquisite blend of international influence with a Japanese touch. Guests can savor a variety of dishes for lunch, dinner or snacks while enjoying one of its famous cocktails prepared by their highly acclaimed bartender, ranked among the three best mixologists in Colombia.

Gabriel Montoya, a founding partner of Zelva Rooftop, explains that beyond the gastronomic delights, the venue is an ideal place to enjoy the sunset while listening to an exciting blend of electronic music that’s carefully curated by talented DJs. As night falls, these rhythms — matched with the exquisite ambiance and views — create an unparalleled atmosphere that is truly captivating.

THE BOSE PROFESSIONAL SOLUTION

Zelva Rooftop’s owners desired a superior sound system that was customized for their venue’s unique layout while uniting the modern, welcoming atmosphere with sound. For ultimate flexibility and control, the project was divided into the space’s three zones where music genre and volume variability would be required. However, that wasn’t the greatest concern of the investors…

From the beginning of the architectural project, it was clear that the sleek open-air terrace would be one of the main attractions but, at the same time, its greatest acoustic challenge. Despite its elevated position on one of the tallest buildings in Pereira, it is not the only one in the area with a similar height. Hence, Zelva Rooftop’s volume of sound risked disturbing neighboring apartments.

The architect responsible for the project, Maria del Pilar Nieto, sought the help of an integrator in audio solutions with whom he had worked successfully before. Thus, MovilPlay Importaciones, a local AV integrator led by General Manager Germán Valencia, became an integral part of the Zelva Rooftop project from its initial stages.

The MovilPlay team realized that the challenge was two-fold, striking a delicate balance between: limiting the sound’s coverage area and volume to lessen the noise disturbance risk while simultaneously ensuring enough sound pressure so Zelva Rooftop’s patrons could experience a festive atmosphere that Montoya envisioned.

Considering the project’s requirements, the MovilPlay team determined Bose Professional’s technology and products were the best solution for the problem. First, MovilPlay utilized the cutting-edge Bose Professional Modeler acoustic analysis and design software to assist with selecting the most optimal loudspeaker that would deliver sufficient sound pressure and delimit the coverage area.

To assist, MovilPlay enlisted the expertise of Automa: a technical specialist, authorized Colombian Bose Professional distributor and Bose Professional regional technical support engineer. Together, the expanded team reviewed the system’s design in detail to further guarantee optimal performance.

Armed with the project’s specifications and his colleagues’ insights, MovilPlay’s Engineer, Germán Martinez, chose the Bose Professional DesignMax line’s loudspeakers. The DesignMax loudspeakers boast exceptional sound performance with a visually appealing design — where their shape and color allow for inconspicuous mounting that seamlessly blends with the building’s steel columns and beams. In addition, with an IP55 outdoor rating, the terrace’s equipment will withstand the diverse weather conditions.

For the outdoor terrace, where the sound disturbance was of greatest concern, the team designed an innovative solution: 13 DesignMax DM5SE loudspeakers were installed facing inwards, 2.5 meters apart, and at different heights. The loudspeakers are suspended from custom-made poles on which brackets are used to adjust the correct tilt of each speaker. The MovilPlay team conducted extensive testing and fine-tuning to confirm all objectives were met, leveraging data from the Bose Professional Modeler software and the support of Automa and Bose Professional specialists.

In the second zone, encompassing the bar and tables inside the restaurant, an arrangement of five DesignMax DM5SE loudspeakers and three DesignMax DM10S Subwoofers were installed. The loudspeakers — suspended at 3 meters by custom-made poles for mounting — were distributed around the bar and deliver a consistent, even listening experience that’s expected for a swanky rooftop bar atmosphere.

The VIP room, offering a private space with a capacity for 15 people, is the third zone. For the ultimate personalization experience, guests can either enjoy the restaurant’s curated playlist or play music from a mobile device. This space uses two DesignMax DM5SE loudspeakers and a DesignMax DM10S Subwoofer, where the combination delivers rich lows with clear, intelligible highs and a perfectly matched bass level.

In addition, realizing the DJ is a prominent highlight at the Zelva Rooftop, MovilPlay installed a DJ booth using two L1 Pro 16 portable line array systems and a T8S ToneMatch mixer, allowing easy transportability with studio-quality audio. As the resident DJ oversees Zelva Rooftop’s musical curation and sound system operation, having a system that was intuitive yet high quality was a must. Thus, MovilPlay also installed ControlCenter CC-3D zone controllers for effortless volume control and seamless audio source selection.

MovilPlay’s custom-designed audio system now meets the expectations of not only Zelva Rooftop’s owners, but also its guests and — equally as important — the neighbors of the nearby buildings. The coverage is an extraordinary example of excellent analysis, design and integration efforts. Now, no matter where a guest might be seated, they can enjoy music at the appropriate volume, further adding to the rooftop experience.

The system delivers warm, clear sound for a peaceful evening enjoying the sunset and relaxing music at the right volume for effortless conversation. Moreover, it also has the power to generate a festive atmosphere as the evening progresses and the tempo rises in BPM.

Furthermore, the system showcases versatility, seamlessly switching from carefully curated playlists to DJ-selected music to match the unique mood of each night. On top of that, the operation is straightforward, with no complicated settings to distract the staff from their daily work.

The Zelva Rooftop audio system is the largest and most complex MovilPlay has installed in a restaurant and is one of their most satisfied customers. Montoya emphasizes the importance of music and quality sound for guests to live a great experience.

“Bose Professional is a recognized brand with an authentic and warm sound that our customers perceive and make us notice,” Montoya said. “In addition, MovilPlay is always near to us; they support us when we organize a special event or receive a guest DJ, which generates a climate of trust that we appreciate.”

— Gabriel Montoya
Co-Owner and Director
Zelva Rooftop

Partner: MovilPlay Importaciones

MovilPlay Importaciones is a Colombian company based in Pereira. The company designs and integrates audiovisual systems for residential and commercial applications. Recently, it has ventured into developing solutions for large spaces such as restaurants, bars, hospitals, and religious temples.

MovilPlay Imports has eight years of experience using Bose Professional products and is one of the business partners of Automa, the authorized distributor of Bose Professional in Colombia.

Partner: Automa

Automa is a Colombian company specialized in professional video and audio, security and automation of corporate, commercial and residential spaces. With 12 years of experience, it is one of the wholesale distributors of major technology brands with presence in Colombia. It has a solid team of collaborators and business partners specialized in the integration of audiovisual solutions.