Marbella is known as a destination in which luxurious villas abound so it is only logical that its iconic nucleus – Puerto Banús – should now be home to a brand new Bang & Olufsen store.
Featuring high-end entertainment systems that refract and reconfigure the essence of high-quality sound and vision, Bang & Olufsen offers a range of televisions and speakers that make coming home the ultimate treat. Now boasting stores in select destinations ranging from Argentina to Switzerland, Saudi Arabia to Hong Kong, the brand is the ultimate choice for those who wish to interact on an intellectual and emotional plane with technology.
Integration within Modern Homes
The brand new Bang & Olufsen store has two major components – its retail side (here you will find cutting-edge head phones and speakers in the hues of the season, as well as BlueTooth speakers) and its home entertainment system equipment and services. José Luis Cerezo, Store Manager, states that the brand’s ultimate aim is to connect people within a home. “Imagine a villa with eight to 10 rooms, connected by a fully integrated audiovisual system. One person listening to a track in the main living room can ensure those in the pool area are catching the same song at a touch of the button of a smartphone or iPad. Home dwellers can, likewise, ensure that someone in the main lounge can listen to the same news item they are watching in an upstairs bedroom. We may enjoy living in lavish surrounds, but we ultimately crave connection.”
Installing such a system in a large villa is a complex task that takes skill and experience. Bang & Olufsen customers can ensure that all the work is performed without a hitch, considering that the new owners are Víctor Perriañez (of Illusion – a company dedicated to the design, installation and maintainenance of lighting, control and audio-video projects) and Nacho Porras (of high-end furniture Bulthaup and Rimadesio in Marbella). Both are familiar with the quality and service demanded by discerning clients, having commenced their careers at Bang & Olufsen. Nacho worked at the first Marbella store from 1992 to 2003, and Victor did the same from 1995 to 2003. They are highly knowledgeable about the brand, know their clients well, and have been linked to Bang & Olufsen for over two decades.
Design for Life
“Integration is one of the three pillars Bang & Olufsen stands upon,” notes José Luis, the other two being design and sound. “When clients purchase a home entertainment system from Bang & Olufsen, we invite them to select from a wide variety of colours, styles, and finishes.” Take the popular BeoLab 50 speaker. Buyers can choose from various types of wood finishes for an organic, nature-inspired look, or go full New York loft and opt for the same item in a warm copper or bronze tone instead. Sleek black and pure white versions are also available, as are various types of metal. Think of it like buying a luxury car; even the fabric matters in speakers of this calibre and José Luis finds that “home buyers opt for colours that go with their current interiors as well as with their personalities.”
Far from relying on the same person to give life to different items in a collection, each speaker or television is envisioned by a different designer or team, working in a collaborative fashion with engineers, acousticians, concept developers, etc. It makes sense that so much care should be given to each and every piece. High-end design is an onerous responsibility indeed. It must stand the test of time while capturing the zeitgeist of the generation it is addressing.
Back to Simplicity
Bang & Olufsen has entered an era that embraces the perfection of simplicity. In the age of ubiquitous connectivity and the mental and spiritual toll that social media has taken, many see their home as their refuge; an escape from life on the Cloud. Bang & Olufsen has responded by defining a new minimalism; one that is completely devoid of coldness and emptiness, inhabited instead by forms and textures that are reminiscent of nature.
Technology is almost an extension of the human form rather than the enemy. One speaker that springs to mind is the Beosound Edge, defined by the firm as “an unbroken circle of beauty, designed for intuitive touch and motion.” The circle can be propped on the floor (tempting you to ‘roll it along’), or affixed to the wall at shoulder height. The emotional factor begins when you walk into the room and the interface lights up, inviting you to tap on it to start, stop, or skip tracks. The magic intensifies when you touch the sphere’s steel rim, and the machine ‘reads’ the force of your touch, adjusting the volume as your hand moves back and forth.
Visionary Viewing
Bang & Olufsen is big on sound, but it is equally impressive in the visual sense. Its newest television is the BeoVision Harmony, touted as “a choreographed performance of acoustic clarity, vivid imagery, and human-centric design.” When the TV is turned off or playing music, its screen stays close to the ground, partially concealed behind stunningly crafted front covers. At the flick of a switch, the speakers fan out and the screen rises, ready to occupy centre stage and take you on a fully immersive visual journey. The oak veneer speakers are a thing of true beauty, resulting from meticulous craftsmanship and a profound understanding of the ideal balance between acoustic performance and visual appeal.
José Luis tells me that some clients visit Bang & Olufsen “when their home is still off-plan.” The excitement with which they react to the technology indicates the powerful impact that good design can have on body, mind, and spirit. Sound and visuals can transport you, enlighten you, take you to new worlds you have dreamed of since childhood. What better prize could there be than coming home to this every day after working so hard for such a beautiful life?
Calle Antonio el Bailarín s/n, Puerto Banús, Marbella. Tel: (+34) 951 662 200.