Background and context
Shenzhen’s Antuoshan Public Cultural Center, which opened in December 2025, has equipped its main performance spaces with an immersive and largely concealed sound system supplied by L-Acoustics and local certified provider Racpro.
The venue, built on the site of a former quarry at the base of Antuo Hill in the Futian District, is the first major cultural complex in this central business area. The tower-and-podium building houses a 1,000-seat grand theatre, a 500-seat concert hall and four black box theatres, as well as study spaces, rehearsal rooms and recording facilities.
The grand theatre is configured for large-scale productions such as drama, musicals and ballet, while the concert hall is designed for chamber music and contemporary works. The technical brief called for high intelligibility and even coverage in both rooms, with loudspeakers kept out of sight to preserve the architecture.
Key announcement
Racpro, an L-Acoustics Certified Provider, designed and installed an L-ISA immersive system in the grand theatre and a compact line array solution in the concert hall. The project continues a relationship between the venue’s owner and L-Acoustics following earlier installations at Futian DreamWorks and Star Theatre.
In the grand theatre, the sound design centres on the L-ISA immersive platform. The frontal scene comprises five hangs of A15i loudspeakers in a combination of Focus and Wide configurations, with Panflex directivity used to target specific audience areas. Surround and height channels are delivered by X8 and X12 coaxial loudspeakers, creating a wraparound and overhead image.
Nearfield coverage is handled by 5XT loudspeakers recessed into the stage edge and orchestra pit, while KS28 subwoofers are deployed both flown and on the ground. Stage monitoring uses X12 loudspeakers. Amplification relies on LA4X, LA12X and LA2Xi units, with two L-ISA Processor II cores handling immersive processing.
The 500-seat concert hall uses Kiva II compact line arrays, with two hangs of six Kiva II per side of the stage. These are supported by SB15m subwoofers and 5XT loudspeakers integrated into the stage for front-fill. X12 cabinets are used as stage monitors. The system is powered by LA4X and LA2Xi amplified controllers.
Industry impact
A key aspect of the project was the requirement that loudspeakers should remain visually unobtrusive. Racpro used L-Acoustics’ Soundvision prediction software not only to confirm coverage but also to model how far enclosures could be concealed in the set and building structure while maintaining target performance.
During installation, Soundvision modelling highlighted that the existing steelwork of the sound bridge interfered with high-frequency output from the main arrays. Rather than accepting reduced performance, Racpro and the contractor modified the structure to align the real-world result with the software predictions.
The system’s first major test came at the centre’s opening concert, featuring pianist Lang Lang, conductor Lin Daye and the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra. According to the integrator, the pre-installation modelling provided the confidence to proceed with a fully concealed approach for a high-profile, sold-out event.
Why this matters
For venue designers and technical teams, the Antuoshan project underlines how far immersive audio and predictive design tools have progressed in supporting architecturally sensitive spaces. The installation combines L-ISA spatial audio processing with compact loudspeaker formats to deliver coverage without prominent arrays or visible stacks.
It also reflects a broader trend in Asia-Pacific cultural infrastructure, where new-build venues are expected to host both traditional orchestral programmes and modern, technically demanding productions. By integrating immersive capabilities at the construction stage, Antuoshan Public Cultural Center positions itself to support a wide range of programming, from ballet and musicals in the grand theatre to chamber and experimental work in the concert hall.
Further details on L-ISA and associated loudspeaker systems are available from the manufacturer’s official pages at l-acoustics.com.