RCF Brings Refined Power to the Industrial Ambience of SchwarzGold Dortmund

In the heart of Germany’s Ruhr region, the former gas cooling facility of Dortmund’s historic Hansa Coking Plant has found new life as ButterRaum and SchwarzGold, two stunning venues that merge industrial heritage with state-of-the-art event technology. Behind their unique atmosphere of raw concrete, steel, and glass lies a sound system fully powered by RCF.

Installed by MediaArt Showtechnik, under the direction of Dirk Schoppen, the main ButterRaum is equipped with a 12-module RCF HL 6 Line Array system, supported by two S 19 subwoofers and an XPS 16KD system amplifier. The compact yet powerful setup ensures uniform coverage, outstanding speech intelligibility, and a balanced sonic image for every type of event — from DJ sets and live bands to corporate functions and fine-dining experiences.

The adjoining SchwarzGold, recently awarded a Michelin Star, extends this attention to sonic detail with a discreet, high-performance distributed system. Eight Compact M 04 and two Compact M 08 loudspeakers, combined with four S 10 subwoofers, four CMR 50T ceiling speakers, and IPS Series amplifiers, deliver a seamless listening experience that adapts effortlessly to background music, live performances, or elegant private events.

“We wanted a system that could handle everything — and keep doing so for years without compromise,” says Sascha Nies, owner of SchwarzGold Dortmund. “The RCF setup surprised us with how easily it adapts to each event. It’s powerful when needed, subtle when not, and always precise.”

The Hansa Coking Plant, once a cornerstone of Dortmund’s industrial history, now stands as a vibrant symbol of transformation. Its carefully restored gas cooling hall retains its authentic character while embracing a new purpose — as a cultural and culinary hotspot where the past and present resonate together.

With RCF’s sound design bringing acoustic clarity to its imposing architecture, ButterRaum and SchwarzGold showcase how industrial legacy and modern audio engineering can merge into an extraordinary sensory experience — where every note, every word, and every moment finds its perfect echo.