In keeping with the organic, modern look of a new 3,000-square-foot loft in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan, a client was looking to manage the environment via shading and climate control, automate audio and video components, and activate different lighting scenarios using a control solution that would be as simple to use as pressing a single button. Since the client was expecting their first child, Mattera Design, Inc. needed to include a simple system-wide on/off solution controllable from a central location near the entrance to the loft. To ensure that any of the specified requirements were not overshadowed by any functional complexities within the system, Mattera Design chose RTI solutions to obtain a fully automated system that can be controlled by the client’s Apple^® iPads^®, in addition to an RTI KX7 in-wall touchpanel interface that provides system-wide control and one-touch on/off convenience.

“Our client was clear that they wanted an elegant control system solution in keeping with the décor of the loft’s sleek interior,” said Joseph Mattera, owner of Mattera Design, Inc. “We knew the RTI XP8s control processor coupled with the RTiPanel app and KX7 touchpanel would provide comprehensive loft-wide control while complementing the overall décor and modern feel of the loft. The RTI solution also interfaces perfectly with the lighting and shades systems, as well as the audio and video gear located throughout the loft. At the end of the day, with a new baby on the way, simplicity and a system-wide on/off control were at the very top of our client’s ‘must have’ list.”

To bring intuitive control and automation to the residence, Mattera Design designed an RTiPanel app user interface that graphically represented Lutron^® RadioRA 2^™ controls based on selected zones, enabling various lighting scenarios. From the convenience of their iPads, the RTiPanel app provides the loft’s users with incredible power and intuitive control anywhere, anytime. The RTiPanel app also allows for control of the Somfy^® shade control system as well as the Nest Learning Thermostat to create just the right mood and feel in the loft, whether day or night.

For audio throughout the space, Matterra Design deployed an RTI AD-4x audio distribution system that works in tandem with a Denon^™ receiver, Sonance^® and Gallo speakers, and a KEF subwoofer. This compact audio distribution system contains both a matrix switching pre-amp and a built-in power amplifier. Four local source inputs can be augmented with four remote source inputs, making it easy to listen to music from anywhere in the loft. RTI’s Sonos driver enables two-way communication with a Sonos^® Connect wireless music player to bring cover art, song selection, and audio favorites directly within the RTI user interface.

Finally, making overall operation as simplistic and easy to use as possible, RTI’s KX7 in-wall touchpanel allows the client to activate pre-programmed settings instantly for areas in the loft. Lights and shades automatically set, audio components begin playing music, and the appropriate mood is set. Installed near the entrance to the loft, the 7-inch color touchpanel not only integrates with every system in the loft, allowing users to easily control their environment and A/V selections, but also serves as a system-wide on/off switch for when the clients’ hands are filled with their most precious cargo.