Klangwelt Toggenburg in the Swiss Alps is a cultural centre blending architecture, nature, and sound.
It started twenty years ago with Klangweg, a walking trail with 27 art and sound installations. Now, the Klanghaus and Peter Roth Resonance Centre (Resonanzzentrum) offer new ways to experience sound through the Klangdom, Switzerland's first sound dome, featuring 33 Genelec Smart IP loudspeakers for a unique auditory journey.
Blending architecture with advanced acoustic design, the Klangdom captures natural textures and rhythms, from overtone singing to whistling wind, using 3D recordings and spatial compositions to immerse listeners in Toggenburg's soundscape.
The project was led by Idee und Klang, a Swiss audio design firm with a history of working with Klangwelt, alongside Arev Imer, a freelance audio engineer.
“Our existing partnership resulted in us being invited to join the latest project,” says Ramon De Marco, sound sceneographer at Idee und Klang. “The concept was extraordinary, but bringing it to life presented a real challenge.
“The aim is to guide visitors into the essence of sound, sometimes contemplative and meditative, sometimes ecological and cultural.”
"A dedicated space for listening"
“The Klangdom was conceived as a dedicated space for listening,” continues De Marco. “The aim is to guide visitors into the essence of sound — sometimes contemplative and meditative, sometimes ecological and cultural.
Thirty-three 4430 Smart IP loudspeakers were carefully positioned within the Klangdom to create an immersive three-dimensional sound environment. Eight speakers were installed on each of the top and bottom rings, while sixteen were placed on a larger ring in the middle. Additionally, a central ‘Voice of God’ loudspeaker was mounted at the dome's apex.
“The two lower rings are height-adjustable. This makes it possible to create optimal listening positions for visitors, whether seated or lying down.”
For events, the rings can be raised to the ceiling, allowing the dome to be removed and the entire space to be repurposed. “The combination of geometric design and mechanical flexibility allows the Klangdom to function as both a precise immersive instrument and a versatile performance space.”
Each ring connects to a NETGEAR M4250 AV switch via a CAT6 cable, with local distribution handled by PoE switches. In spaces like the Resonance Centre, where architecture, aesthetics, and acoustics are precisely planned, this discreet solution maintains design integrity while delivering high-quality sound.
Loudspeakers were arranged into small hubs along the rings, each providing a different audio layer that can build into an immersive soundscape inside the dome.
A shared experience
The Peter Roth Resonance Centre marks a new milestone in Klangwelt Toggenburg’s ambitious journey. With a capacity for up to one hundred guests, it acts as an entry point into the ‘world of sound.’
“Every hour, a 15-minute introduction is played through the loudspeakers, alternating between two different versions,” says De Marco. “Both begin with a poetic journey — from the origin of sound to the present — combining custom 3D recordings with archival material.”
The first introduction captures the listener’s attention with soundscapes and acoustic ecology, immersing them in Toggenburg's sonic environment. The second highlights natural music, such as overtone singing.
“It is planned that the system will be used for spatial compositions, generative ambisonic textures, and commissioned works that explore the full 33-channel setup of the loudspeakers."
He adds: “Free of visual distractions, the dome highlights listening as an embodied, collective act: one where space itself becomes the instrument and sound is a bridge between people, culture, and environment.”
See also: Feel the Sound: exploring audio experiences with Barbican Immersive
