Post on 24-Mar-2016
description
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Big-screen video transforms this space and ushers in an invisiblesurround-sound system. Photography by Christos Panayides
SYSTEMS DESIGN& INSTALLATIONElytronicNicosia. CvorusIr;nin
Interior DesignJ Joseph InteriorsNicosia, Cyprus
ArchitectK.N. Tofarides AssociatesNicosia. Cyprus
SHOWING OFFELECTRONICS delivers even more impact when it seems there's really not much
to sec. That's the beauty of this luxury pcnrhousc-r-lccatcd on the M editerranean island of Cy
prus-r-whosc architecture irsclfis such a th ing of bcauty that you wouldn't possibly want to mess
with it. For most of the day, the stunning interior simply speaks for itself, without much hint that
the room offers entertainment beyond an elegantly wall-mounted flat-panel television. But when
the homeowner fires up a movie for guests, at the press of a button the room puts on quite a show:
This is when, as deftly installed and programmed by local cus tom electronics pro Ely
rronic, the technology choreography com mences: the ligh ting begins to d im; the motor
ized bli nds slowly cover the windows; a 106-inch screen drops down in front of the T V; a
projector descends from its ceiling hideout; and the invisib le surround-sound speakers and
subwoofers make their p resence known.
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"T he owner is a developer for real estate apartments and houses, so he knew abou t
automation and he wanted to do something special to show customers that was a bit over
the top. Plus he likes the stuff as well, so he understands how it 's able to make his life
easier," says Elyrronic's H arris Epameinondas. "T he most challenging part was to crea te an
amazing space without the electronics being shown, so nobody knows th ere's a projector,
a screen, the speakers, until they suddenly appear. T he coord inat io n of the gear took the
ceiling guys, the heating guys, the interior designer . . . because everybody's part of it, and
bringing everyone on the same page."
Elyrronic wo rked throughout the roughly 2,OOO-square-foot penthouse while it was be
ing renovated, so the company could carefully provide detailed plans and exact dimensions
for all of that coordination. For exam ple, the five Stealth Acoustics AX3 speakers and pair
of Stealth B1 630 passive subwoofe rs are truly invisible in the ceili ng, but they required par
ticular metal structu res to ensure the ceiling wouldn 't shake du ring a movie (especially the
area around the subs). T heir installation also necessitated special instructions for the ceiling
painter so the speakers would receive the proper fi nishing that wouldn't muffle the sound.
And since you can't see the speakers, we'll just tell you that the front three channels re
side in fron t of the screen housing, while the rear surrounds flank the C hief projector lift and
the two subwoofer panels sit between the family room and adjacent open dining room area.
"In the living room, what people want these days [for NY}, it's a compromise between
aesthetics and performance," says Epameinondas. "The invisible 5.1 Stealth Acoustics system is
kind of a compromise, but on the other hand it looks amazing and sounds very good. It 's magical."
Speaking of the ceiling, one of the more creative fe ats in designing and installing the
AVATAR e 2009 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX ALLRIGHTSRESIRVED,
SYSTEMS & EQUIPMENTControl : Contro l4Lighti ng/Shading: Lut ronProjector : Planar
Screen: ScreenviewTV: PioneerSpeakers & Subwoofer: Stealth AcousticsAN Sources: Apple TV. Net gear. PioneerLift & M ou nt: ChiefRack: Raxxess
HIGHLIGHTS• M odern look that's un interrupted by
t echnology.• Invis ible surround -sound audio system
meticulously insta lled in the ceiling.
• Two viewing options.w ith a projec tionscreen housing incorporat ing the designof the room.
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Screenview dropdown screen was the hous
ing itself. As further illustration of Elytronic's
teamwork with the other trades involved ,
rather than install a simple, rectangular box
to hold the screen when it 's not in use, the
room's part ial faux ceili ng gently curves over
the housing to create a seamless facade that
carries forth the rest of the modern look.
On the electronics side, the coordination is
governed by a Contro14 system that triggers the
automated events in the big reveal, which along
with the AN and lights and shades can also in
clude bringing the room temperarure to a certain
level. Lutron lighting and motorized shades can
be set accordingly at the press ofa button,wheth
er the viewing calls fo r the 6Q-inch plasma screen
or the l 06-incher. Either way, the views are al
ways impressive in this penthouse. - A.s. EH
A..'~ FAMILY/MEDIA ROOM~I~BRONZE
At play.At work.
C2013 Core Brandos. LLC. .... nghts reserved.
E"" ... subsod'ar; of Core B'........ u.c .
That'swhatan ELANg! Entertainmentand Control System canbring you.
elanhomesystems.com
Imagine all of your music, movies,sportsand TV, at your command viatouch screen, touch pad, iPhone oriPad. Imagineyour security, climateand lighting, all under your control,whereveryouare,bywireless device.
At home.
Your worldmadl simpll.
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e ear
~RDS
omeo
Amazing high-tech solutionsfor every room in the house