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Lighting & audio installation in Berlin’s landmark food hall

KERB Berlin: Potsdamer Platz

This case study explores how Middlesex Sound & Lighting delivered a sophisticated, multi-zone lighting and audio system for Berlin’s flagship KERB Foodhall. All the character and complexity of a street food market — brought to life with a premium AV setup, across two floors and twelve independent kitchens.

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About KERB Berlin

KERB Berlin is the newest addition to the KERB family — the street food pioneers who have transformed the casual dining scene in London. Located in Potsdamer Platz, the Berlin site is set in a beautifully repurposed former IMAX cinema and is KERB’s first international venture.

More than just a food court, KERB Berlin brings together twelve kitchens, two bars, and co-working and event spaces in one visually stunning space. The site celebrates independent food, Berlin culture, and serious flavour — with features like a rooftop terrace, cocktail bar, and the world’s second-ever cheese conveyor belt. KERB needed a technical partner who could deliver seamless AV infrastructure while preserving the creative identity of the space.

The Project

MSL was brought on board to design and deliver a complete audio and lighting solution to support KERB Berlin’s unique combination of food, drink, and cultural programming.

The brief required a system that could:

  • Deliver crystal-clear background audio throughout the food hall
  • Accommodate DJ setups for live events and activations
  • Provide ambient and architectural lighting to support both daytime trade and evening energy
  • Integrate reliably with local infrastructure and non-English-speaking contractors

This wasn’t just about getting sound from A to B — it was about creating a truly immersive environment that did justice to the KERB brand and the energy of Potsdamer Platz.

The Challenges

Working internationally always brings its own complexities, and KERB Berlin was no exception. The key challenges included:

  • Language barriers: Coordination with local contractors required extra care, especially during cable routing and infrastructure checks.
  • First fix handover: Electrical contractors had already completed the first fix before MSL arrived on-site, meaning certain routes and access points needed to be reverse-engineered to suit the AV requirements.
  • Distance logistics: All equipment was supplied from the UK and shipped to site, requiring tight planning around customs, transport, and on-site delivery windows.
  • Integration with complex architecture: The space retained elements of its cinema heritage — including a projection room, multi-level layout, and repurposed visual assets. The AV installation had to respect and support the architectural storytelling.

The Solution

Despite the challenges, MSL delivered a full multi-zone installation that matched KERB’s ambition. The final system included:

Audio

  • Martin Audio CDD8 loudspeakers across the main public areas
  • Martin Audio SX212 and SX112 subwoofers for warmth and low-end power
  • External weatherproof speakers for the terrace and outdoor zones
  • DJ input points and Pioneer equipment for event takeovers
  • Localised volume and input control per zone for flexibility and atmosphere management
  • Signal routing via Soundweb London (BSS), ensuring consistent control across both floors

Lighting

  • Customisable lighting scenes using programmable LED fixtures
  • A lighting control system designed to adapt throughout the day and evening
  • Integration with KERB’s branding and visual storytelling, supporting the venue’s food-meets-culture ethos

Training & Support

To ensure ease of use for the KERB team — many of whom are traders, not technicians — MSL created intuitive control interfaces and provided on-site training. Each zone was programmed with pre-set levels for daytime, evening, and event use, simplifying daily operation.

Ongoing remote support was also made available, ensuring that system tweaks and fault diagnosis could be handled quickly without disruption to the venue’s busy trade.

Why Middlesex Sound & Lighting?

The KERB Berlin project was entrusted to MSL because of our:

  • Proven experience delivering multi-zone foodhall AV across the UK and Europe
  • Ability to handle end-to-end delivery — from specification to shipping to install
  • Skilled team with a problem-solving mindset and strong contractor coordination
  • Track record of building long-term relationships through high standards and reliability