Installation

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UK - The new Richard Desmond Children's Eye Centre is a recent addition to London's Moorfields Eye Hospital, recognised around the world as a leading institute for eye health.

The centre was designed by Penoyre & Prasad Architects in consultation with patients, their families and staff. One of its most striking features is the south façade. Folded aluminium louvres are suspended on a tensioned cable net to prevent direct light entering the building, whilst at the same time creating fascinating abstract imageries.

Lightscape Projects - part of the Light Projects Group - was responsible for the lighting design, installation and programming. A total of 64 Tryka Strip Module Optic IP67 in different lengths were selected for the project, along with other Light Projects LED fittings.

Light Projects Group's director Roger Beckett enthuses: "The Tryka LED linear units were mos

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Greece - Originally built to host the badminton competition at the 2004 Olympics, the Badminton Theatre has been converted into the most state of the art theatre in Greece. Situated in a park in the centre of Athens, the transformation took place in the remarkably short time of eight months.

The company managing the project, Arts, Dance and Music Productions (ADaM), spared no expense when it came to the theatre's technical equipment and called in Athens based pro audio and lighting specialists Telmaco to advise on the sound and lighting installations.

"The Badminton management demanded a high class sound reinforcement system," said Thanassis Drossos, Telmaco's audio projects engineer who was responsible for the design of the sound system. "I arranged for their Technical Director, Renos Papapaschos, to accompany me to d&b audiotechnik's headquarters in Backnang,

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USA - As part of its ongoing effort to strengthen business operations, Theatre Projects US has announced the appointment of Karen Ruta as business manager. Ruta brings with her extensive experience in business and financial management, having held the positions of business manager and CFO for several businesses in Connecticut including a sports marketing company, a professional photography studio, and a media buying company. Ruta's addition to the company provides Theatre Projects with the business expertise to help manage the continued growth of the company.

Ruta will assume the administrative responsibilities of the general manager, and Gene Leitermann, who has assumed that role for the past four years, will relinquish the title. Leitermann will remain Director of Business Development and will continue to serve on the management team in that capacity. He is also a senior proje

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Eire - The Royal Dublin Society is Ireland's premier venue for meetings, conferences, exhibitions, trade and public shows, entertainment and sporting events. It is also to be the new home for Leinster Rugby Club and to facilitate this RDS has purchased three new grandstands that provide an additional 12,600 seats using Arena Seating's clearview product.

Royal Dublin Society chief executive, Michael Duffy says: "We have to provide the best available for our customers and evaluated several seating systems. Arena's clearview product provides the best sightlines, a comfortable seat and the ability to be reconfigured to suit the many different types of event we stage here at RDS."

Arena's managing director Joe O'Neill says: "We recognised the ever more exacting requirements of event organisers, architects and specifiers and took a 'clean sheet' approach to create a s

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Spain - Head of QSC Spain, Mauri Costa reports that three major entertainment venues in the Catalonia region have recently adopted the QSC brand - both for the system transparency and design aesthetic. And two of these - Sala Highland in Tarragona and Sala Mandra in the Barcelona suburb of Hospitalet del Llobregat - have already pledged to maintain continuity with the QSC systems approach when they begin their second phase of development.

But it is the 800-capacity Sala Ángel in the Barcelona suburb of Sabadell, that has really captured the imagination. Situated in the Zona Hermética industrial area, after dark the district is turned over to live entertainment, and becomes one large party.

Ángel owner Gregorio García wanted to appeal to an audience seeking to be entertained away from the Barcelona downtown scene. With a unique venue, which would cover both live perfo

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UK - The Centre Court atmosphere at this year's Wimbledon Tennis Championships was a very different one due to the absence of a roof! This very different environment called for a very different loudspeaker system.

It was clear to Tim Speight and Jon Berry of sound contractor RG Jones Sound Engineering (suppliers of sound systems for the Club), that installing a distributed system would not be a viable option; as the limitations on possible loudspeaker positions and cable routes would have compromised the performance of a distributed system enough to render it useless. So an innovative approach was required.

"The distributed approach was not an option," said Berry, "so we started thinking about possibilities for a point source system, but designing a point source system that was capable of throwing the 100m across the bowl whilst at the same time containing the s

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Austria - Austrian Harman Pro distributors, Kain Audio, has fitted out two high-pedigree, but vastly different hotels in Austria, using a ZonePRO audio solution from dbx Professional Products.

Said Franz Werner, sales manager for Kain Audio, "ZonePRO is the perfect answer when we are looking to send different audio sources to many different zones, with a paging override - as is the case in hotel applications."

Kain divided Roomz into 10 different sound zones and Bleibergerhof into 12, using a ZonePRO 641 and ZonePRO 1261 in the former and a pair of ZonePRO 1261's in the latter.

In Vienna, the futuristic 152-bed Roomz is a frenzy of different colours and shapes and already an urban architectural landmark. Situated in the southernmost part of Austria (in Bad Bleiberg), the more rural Bleibergerhof Hotel takes advantage of the area's high altitude thermal waters and i

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South Africa - Catering for a diverse corporate and private clientele, The Catwalk, located in Gauteng's Fourways Mall, is the ultimate venue for casual, social gatherings and slick, professional events.

Harman Pro distributors, Wild and Marr, were approached to provide a complete audio and lighting solution. The elaborate technical demands called for a system that is flexible in operation, as the dynamic venue will cater to a variety of events, including a cross spectrum of entertainment. After many site visits, audio system designer, Justin Mamulis, proposed a multi-faceted solution.

At the heart of the system is BSS Audio Soundweb London. With 12 inputs and 20 outputs, the system offers total control and flexibility. All the routing and DSP is controlled via a Soundweb London BLU-10 programmable remote panel in the control booth.

The input stage features a Soundcraft GB4/

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USA - D-Tools has announced the 5th annual D-Tools Design Awards call for entries. The 2007 D-Tools Design Awards showcase "the finest residential and commercial system integration projects created with the newest version of D-Tools' award-winning System Integrator software". Winners will be announced at this year's D-Tools University (DTU) in November.

Winning projects will be selected from the following categories for this year's Design Awards: Best Residential System, Best Commercial System, Most Unique System (residential or commercial), and Best Overall System.

Winners in each category will receive an attractive award for display in their office and a copy of D-Tools System Integrator 5 Standard as well as significant prizes supplied by D-Tools Manufacturer Vantage Point (MVP) members. All entrants will receive recognition for their submissions with a prize pack

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UK - A customised Kinesys motor control system has been installed into the Royal Albert Hall. The project was instigated by the Hall's rigging manager, Simon Frost, and was delivered in two phases. With over 360 shows a year staged at the Royal Albert Hall, Frost wanted to introduce additional layers of health & safety and extra flexibility to the rig, which used to work on a conventional up/down motor control system. "I have always liked the design and functionality of Kinesys equipment," he says.

With the hoists hanging over 130ft up in the grid, their movement is barely audible even during complete silence, rare when a show is being rigged. The view is obscured from most positions in the Hall, including the main control area, by an aluminium skin cladding the grid. Frost therefore sought "a tried-and-tested, foolproof system with all the safety features that wo

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UK - In the ten years since leaving his native Bordeaux for the UK, Matthieu Destandau has done much to keep London's Fitzrovia on the culinary map. He made his name a block or so south of his present incumbency on London's Gt. Titchfield Street at CVO Firevault, which became an ultra-chic cocktail bar and party venue.

Then he was headhunted by David Alberto, chief executive of Avanta, the company which operates the nearby Media Village Business Centre, and the two men set about converting the somewhat drab, integral basement 'canteen', known as the Winchester Club, into the resplendent all-white Vanilla.

Common to both Destandau's' enterprises has been the Sound Division Group. Yet the two venues could scarcely have required a more different approach, as Matthieu Destandau explained. "At Firevault, the loudspeakers were in evidence and the sound more in your face - but h

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UK - With the final commissioning of a purpose-designed dance system for its premier room, the Ministry of Sound in London is now equipped exclusively with Martin Audio components - from the ground up.

It had long been the dream of Dave Bradshaw (formerly head of production but now a consultant to the MoS) to make the world-famous club an exclusively Martin Audio house. After last year's PLASA Show the bar underwent a sound system conversion, and this month added the four additional S218 subs to create uniformity, while the club embarked on redesigning the venue's Holy Grail, the main dance space known as The Box. This month that process was completed.

It is around eight years since the venue specified an all Martin Audio Blackline 5.1 monitor domain for DJs working in The Box, although the six-stack system, which enveloped the audience, had been in nearly twice as long.

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Australia - Clifton Productions, a major player in the lighting production industry, has announced the creation of a newly formed company within their ranks - Moving Light Rentals (MLR).

MLR has had a flying start with a sizeable investment in 300 Robe moving lights, bringing their total Robe inventory to over 450 units. The luminaires - a 50/50 split of Spot and Wash fixtures from Robe's 700, 1200 and 2500 E AT ranges - have been delivered via Robe Lighting's Australian distributor ULA Group P/L.

MLR is designed to offer industry rate prices to its clients enabling them to re-rent the units. The new lights are now available for hire to other production companies throughout the Asia-Pacific region. MLR will also be used to service Clifton's many upcoming productions.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Portsmouth-based dance school, KateEllen Movement & Dance's production of Dance Through Time was held at St Johns College in Southsea in July of this year and the ChamSys MagicQ PC Wing was there too.

The house rig of conventional lighting, with Zero 88 Betapack dimming supplemented by additional dimming and DMX switch packs, PAR cans, UV Tubes, Jem ZR24/7 Hazer, CCT followspot and the 6ft tall hand-built Tardis - was controlled using a single laptop with external monitor and a ChamSys MagicQ PC Wing - an affordable and portable method for lighting designer and operator Matt Lemon of Eastleigh-based ML Lighting who also works in development for ChamSys.

"The new multiwindows feature in the software is great," says Lemon. "It allowed me to spread the screens I was using across the laptop and external monitor without having to open up another programme

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UK - Built in London's East End in 1933, the Troxy has been many things - one of the largest cinemas in England, a World War II air-raid shelter, a Mecca bingo hall - but recently it has been restored to full theatrical glory by new owners Lali Enterprises, and is now available for private and corporate receptions, as well as live music events.

The Grade II-listed building has retained its original 1930s art deco features but now also contains a stage, dance floor, four bars and a full kitchen. With a capacity for up to 2,600 people, it provides a venue for large-scale parties, awards ceremonies, conferences and exhibitions. The addition of a high-specification Electro-Voice XLC line array sound system, with full digital control, and an impressive lighting rig from Halo Lighting has expanded the Troxy's potential even further.

London-based audio specialist Systems Etc has comp

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UK - Experienced operators City Centre Leisure Group have opened the Club 2020 in Bournemouth - with a programme of appearances by top international DJs (including Erick Morillo and Trevor Nelson) and a technology infrastructure to satisfy the most discerning of practitioners.

The leisure company - run by Josh Simons, Alan Simons and John Tyror - also run the Landmark restaurant in the town. They enlisted Mark Neal's Production Hire to carry out the installation.

The conversion of the 840-capacity, former K-Bar has been inspired. The ground floor dance room (and adjacent tented chill area) lead down to a VIP mezzanine room and further down still to the main room in the basement.

Wherever you look there are snugs and annexe rooms to chill out in - and they are invariably served by one of Martin Audio's architectural AQ series speakers, and illuminated by the Pulsar Chroma ran

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UK - Bristol City Football Club (BCFC) has marked its promotion to the Championship by installing a new sound system at its Ashton Gate stadium.

Following a competitive tender process against a specification by Steve Jones, Venue Technology expert for the Acoustics Division of Capital Symonds, the contact was awarded to Bristol-based systems integration company Sounds Commercial. UK cable specialist VDC Trading supplied much of the Low Smoke Zero Halogen, steel wire armoured and fire tough cable for the project.

Damian Orritt, installation contracts manager of Sounds Commercials says: "We use VDC for our cabling requirements because it manufactures and stocks the breadth of products that we need, particularly for complex installations. In this case it was important that we specified rugged and reliable cable that couldn't be tampered with - and that it complied with the v

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Ireland - J&C Joel has designed, fabricated and installed seven movable acoustic panels in the main Curtis Auditorium at the prestigious new Cork School of Music.

The J&C Joel team led by Tony Griffiths, played an active role in ensuring that the 420 seat Curtis Auditorium has the flexibility to provide exactly the right acoustic environment for anything from piano recitals to full orchestral performances to vocal and choral works.

J&C Joel's biggest challenge was presented by their late appointment to the project. By the time this happened, all the AC, ventilation, heating ducting, drainage pipes, containment trays and other plant and services were already in place up in the plenum - the sound proofed concealed roof space above the auditorium.

This is where all the suspension and movement control equipment required for the seven panels had to be installed - comprising a com

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UK - When Jedi Lighting & Sound were asked to install two new Essex nightclubs recently, they enlisted Futurelight distributors Fut-Euro - not only to meet their beam effect requirements, but also for their creative LED lighting.

Set up last year by Darren Jackson, the Wisbech-based Fut-Euro has quickly become a one-stop shop for lighting designers and architects looking for imaginative ideas in a wide number of applications.

Said Jedi managing director Andrew Baldwin, "What we aim for first is reliability and value for money. If we need something specific Darren can usually find it - but any new kit we are offered we will strip and pull apart before we have the confidence to use it."

Jedi first specified the Futurelight effects - notably the PHS-220 pro moving head with 48 pre-programmed scenes for stand alone operation and EVO-7 effects projector at Tony and Inge

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The Netherlands - Located in the basement of the five star Kurhaus hotel in Scheveningen, lively bar Crazy Pianos' evening entertainment is provided by pairs of pianists who play requests from classical to rock'n'roll, get the audience to sing along and generally clown around.

The entertainment might be light-hearted, but the business of Crazy Pianos audio system is very serious indeed. A Yamaha DME24N and DM1000 console are at the heart of a flexible system which is designed to give the club's clientele the best possible audio experience.

The system was designed by Jeroen ten Brinke of Audio Design International and installed by More Stage Services. With Crazy Pianos manager Bjorn being a serious audiophile, updating the venue's eight year old sound system had to be done to the highest possible specification.

"When Crazy Pianos installed the first system, eight years a

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UK - Robe moving lights have been installed at Glasgow's very 'happening' nightspot Byblos - a 900 capacity venue housed in the basement of an atmospheric listed building in Albion Street - in the Merchant City area of town.

These were specified by Andrew O'Neill of Glasgow-based design and installation company Flashlite. "As always from an installer's viewpoint" he says, "reliability is a key factor - you need fixtures that are going to work with an absolute minimum of fuss and maintenance - so Robe is an obvious choice."

Byblos has two main rooms and a VIP Bar. It is independently owned by three individuals, two of whom are local nightclub industry movers and shakers ...And all of them appreciate the advantages of good production values.

"They wanted a quality installation" explains O'Neill and they were prepared to spend some money on it, whi

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UK - Norwich Theatre Royal's £10 million modernisation project is entering its final stages, with the new look building due to re-open early in November following major improvements to the auditorium and front of house areas.

The modernisation will provide audiences with greater access and comfort. Improvements include increased leg room and access in the circle, a new air treatment system, double the amount of foyer space, improved eating areas, a newly designed theatre façade, and upgrading acoustics in the auditorium to concert hall standards.

Norwich Theatre Royal closed its doors to the public at the end of March 2007 following the visit of Northern Ballet Theatre's The Three Musketeers. The opening show in the new-look venue will be Glyndebourne on Tour's production of Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore on 13 November.

(Jim Evans)

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The Netherlands - The Muziektheater in Amsterdam has chosen to replace its analogue, wired intercom infrastructure with a fully digital intercom solution from Clear-Com, including wireless beltpacks and matrix frames.

The Netherlands Opera and Dutch National ballet both create and produce their own operas and ballets which involves a large amount of rehearsal time on stage where clear communications are vital. The Clear-Com FreeSpeak beltpacks provide a reliable, wireless system for Muziektheater stage, lighting, sound, and technical teams.

"Intercoms are the lifeline between the artistic staff and technicians," said Hans-Willem de Haan, head of the sound and video department at Muziektheater. "We have a long-standing relationship with Clear-Com, so when we decided to move to a digital intercom system, we chose the Clear-Com 4000 matrix in combination with the F

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UK The Cadogan Hall in Chelsea, south west London, home to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, has taken delivery of a Renkus-Heinz Iconyx digitally steerable array loudspeaker system for its popular crush bar where up to 500 concert-goers enjoy their interval drinks.

Formerly a church, Cadogan Hall was transformed into a modern concert venue in June 2004 and boasts an airy 900-seat auditorium with excellent acoustics and unimpeded sightlines.

One area that was due for an upgrade was the hall's crush bar, an approximately square, low-ceilinged and highly reflective room where the buzz of the interval drinks crowd made voice announcements calling people back to their seats inaudible in many areas. The room is also let out for other functions such as book launches, where again the requirement is largely for speech reinforcement.

Acoustic consultants and system engineers COMS had

  1. Bosch supports High School Musical partnership
  2. L&SI's digital edition goes live
  3. J&C Joel helps acoustic treatment at RFH
  4. PLASA07 opens for business
  5. PLASA Events to acquire A.C. North Trade Show
  6. Industry innovators honoured at PLASA 2007
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