Philipp Emrich's 360-degree audio system, Agnes, can claim Brutalism and a higher source as inspiration for its immersive sound.

Audio speaker makers regularly draw inspiration from outside the realm of audiophilia, shaping cabinetry and cases after designs referencing everything from automobiles, skyscrapers, kintsugi-repaired Japanese ceramics, to handbags. But a church might be a first, as conceptualized by Philipp Emrich and his brutalist desk speaker, Agnes.

Agnes’ Brutalist-inspired vertical and rectilinear form is a direct reference to the silhouette of the Gallery St. Agnes in Berlin. The former St. Agnes church was designed by architect Werner Düttmann and built in 1967 as a religious structure of “geometric austerity,” its spiritual sanctity guarded (if not entombed) by a sparingly embellished exterior. But since its remodel in 2013, its spiritual intent has evolved into one serving artistry ? home to Johann Königs’ innovative art gallery. The building’s uncompromising intent was clearly stated by Düttmann himself during its construction, describing his design as such: ?The church doesn?t stand apart from everything else, it stands in the way.?

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