project news

Tannoy Takes High Quality Audio to New Heights

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai's landmark Downtown development has already become a global icon, officially the world's tallest building following the inauguration ceremony on January 4, and a symbol of Dubai's ever growing international status and determination to set new benchmarks in architecture and engineering. With such a landmark construction project, comes a need to consider every detail carefully and so every component of the development has been specified with the highest quality in mind. This premium specification extends to the installed sound system, and so it's not surprising to find Tannoy's industry renowned range of in-ceiling and in-wall loudspeakers integrated throughout the vast structure, on almost every single one of its 160 habitable floors in fact.

Over 5,000 of the Scottish-based speaker manufacturer's CMS Series in-ceiling loudspeakers have been installed, along with over 1,000 IW Series in-wall speakers, providing an unrivalled standard of audio coverage throughout the many internal spaces of this vertical city including the lobbies, corridors, terraces and reception areas of all publically accessible floors. The majority of the in-ceiling loudspeakers installed were CMS 501PI, which benefit from being supplied with a separate pre-install back can. These zinc plated, fully wired back cans are designed to be pre-installed into newly constructed, non-suspended ceilings leaving the product to be inserted at the final system commissioning stage of the install. This makes them particularly suited to large scale, potentially complicated new-build developments such as the Burj Khalifa, where the contractor needs to get in and complete installation and commissioning in very strict time frames.

Also among the substantial CMS specification were over 50 CMS 801DC, Tannoy's larger format high power in-ceiling system built around a 200mm (8") Dual Concentric driver. Designed specifically to deliver full bandwidth audio coverage at higher SPLs, the CMS 801DCs were a perfect solution for more demanding applications such as in the ballroom.

Internationally renowned acoustic and ELV consultants PMK International, who have a regional office in Dubai, were commissioned by Emaar Properties, the developer of the Burj Khalifa, to design and specify the installed sound requirements for the project. The AV installation itself was carried out by experienced technology integrator Bond Communications, who also have a local office, with key involvement in the nearby Dubai Mall and The Address Downtown hotel (opposite the Burj Khalifa).

www.tannoy.com

OmniLine / W8LC for Emirates Palace Ballroom

The magnificent seven star Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, with its grand marble entrance and gold leaf atrium overlooking the Persian Gulf, is one of the world's most beautiful buildings.

Operated by the Kempinski Hotel Group, among its many corporate conference and meeting room facilities is a giant ballroom. Measuring a massive 80m x 25m it can accommodate up to 2,800 people.

AV system integrators, Bond Communications, were recently tasked with replacing and retro-fitting a new sound system that would not only serve the ballroom space as a complete unit, or in its three separate, divisible modes, but do so discreetly, aesthetically and with simple control and operation.

The system also had to be sufficiently flexible to deliver high spec intelligibility across the frequency spectrum for presentations but also be capable of concert style reinforcement from a conventional Left/Right stage system, when the venue was cranked up for live entertainment.

Bond decided that a combination of Martin Audio's award-winning OmniLine scalable micro-line array, in conjunction with a W8LC Compact Line Array would cover all bases. Bond sound engineer Jonathan Goodwin contacted Richard Maunder, from Martin Audio's Dubai-based distributors VTI, and Peter Child, Martin Audio's Applications Engineer, was brought in to provide design support and EASE programme measurements.

"It was decided to use line array loudspeakers for the main front-of-house system as these have more ‘throw' than a conventional loudspeaker and the dispersion pattern is very predictable thus offering more control over the large coverage area," observed Child.

Normally, to cover a distance such as the length of the Ballroom, a long line array, accurately articulated and flown, would suffice and delays would not be needed. However, with the relatively low ceiling height of the Ballroom a different approach was required. A shorter, five-box array of W8LC's each side, has been supported at the bottom of the hang by a single W8LCD Downfill box to maintain clarity, impact and fidelity; the addition of four delay points, comprising time-aligned W8LCDs, evenly distribute the sound further down the room. Used only as required (rather than part of a permanent install), this delay system maintains the tonality and dynamics of the system.

Although mounted discreetly behind an acoustically transparent cloth the W8LC would generally function more than adequately as a full-range system. However, also incorporated into the design are eight WS218X dual 18" subwoofers (four per side) providing low end extension that can be used as required.

The Emirates Ballroom also has a further option, as Bond Communications onsite engineer Mitchell Schuh explains. "When more power is required the W8LC system can be demounted and replaced by a larger, temporary system, pulled forward and comprising six W8LC's and two W8LCD's per side."

For stage monitoring, ten Martin Audio LE1200S floor wedges have also been supplied.

In conference mode 12 clusters of 16 OmniLine enclosures now provide the playback. The design consists of two OmniLine columns at each end of the three conference sections so that the point of focus can change based on the physical location of the presentation.

This approach ensures that intelligible speech and high quality music playback are delivered as unobtrusively as possible.

OmniLine was set up using the system's dedicated optimisation software. Peter Child first worked out the calculations in the OmniLine software before exporting an XGLC file for later use in the EASE programme. "It was then just a case of inserting each of the 16 hang OmniLine GLL's into their correct locations in the EASE model and importing the XGLC file which automatically applied the correct inter-cabinet angles and EQ, as determined by the OmniLine software." he explained.

The system is powered entirely by Martin Audio amplification. The WS218X subwoofers are driven by a pair of MA18K's, the main FOH system and W8LC/LCD delays are run from a total of 18 x MA5.2K's and the OmniLine system is assigned to nine MA6.8Q's. System control is via four mix racks housing CobraNet-enabled SymNet Express DSP (configured 12-in/4-out). "This enables me to route any source input to any of the zones," states Schuh.

The DSP is set it up so that each room can be used in its single configuration - and as further rooms were added, the installer created a separate output on the console to provide full functionality over all four zones. "The system needed to be really flexible because it would be used for different events," he said.

Any input can be routed to any zone and the zone assigned to the main system. It will also automatically send the delay taps to the time-aligned OmniLines when the system is used in presentation mode. The OmniLines also help bring out the HF of the installed W8LC system, and boost the intelligibility, given the length and shape of the room.

Summing up the system performance, Mitch Schuh says, "The aim of the system was to have it set up for ease-of-use, consistency and flexibility - and that's what we have achieved. For the size of the room and type of events staged I'm extremely happy with the result - and so is the client."

Christie Tour of World's Airshows in the Future A350

Following the Le Bourget Airshow in June 2009 and the Dubai Airshow in November, eight Christie 3-chip DLP HD10 projectors will give visitors at prestigious airshows around the world an insight into the Airbus history books and the lowdown on its future A350 wide-body jet. A four-minute immersive experience designed and produced by Master Image Films will be staged at the Singapore Airshow in February 2010, followed by Berlin, Hamburg and Farnborough. The film will breathe life into an aircraft that has only ever been modelled in 3D using computer-generated graphics.

The project began in March 2009 when Master Image Films (Toulouse), an Airbus partner for 20 years, was asked to design a system to allow Airbus to spread the word about its future A350 wide-body jet and use the world's largest airshows as a platform to announce the start of production. To design and complete the project in record-breaking time - less than three months - the brief facing the Airbus teams was to put the innovation and eye-catching appeal into the simple idea of a 1:1 scale model of the interior of the aircraft. In response to this real challenge, Master Image Films instantly came up with the idea of transforming the aircraft's interior into an immersive movie theatre.

Given the project's narrow timeframe, Bernard Birebent, CEO of Master Image Films, gambled on Christie's responsiveness to provide eight Roaster HD10 projectors. "Not only did Christie supply the eight Roadster HD10 projectors at the drop of a hat, but they also delivered flawless technical support and competitive equipment in terms of performance and price," explains Master Image Films' CEO. "We knew that Christie would provide reliable equipment capable of running non-stop at each show."

Since very few physical components of the aircraft were available, the model of the A350's interior was created using 3D data from Airbus. The aim is to give visitors an unrivalled immersive experience complete with archive images and CGI representations of the interior of the fuselage. In the centre of the projection space, the visual field is surrounded by four projection surfaces on the front, sides and ceiling. An image can therefore be projected onto the front screen and developed towards the spectator using the side and upper projection surfaces, making the image appear to move and giving the sensation of speed in a world combining real and 3D images screened and calculated by Master Image Films. Basically, it provides a journey inside the fuselage of the future Airbus, alternately in the air and on the ground.

Master Image Films, a company specialising in the creation of event-based and institutional content, was in charge of creating the entire corporate film in high definition using a Red camera and the graphical environment. In addition to the overall implementation of the life-size model, Airbus called on Master Image Films' expertise to assess the feasibility of the project and carry out the technical study for the sound and visual environment, right down to creating the fixtures and fittings inside the model.

The eight Christie Roadster HD10 projectors were used with very short focal lenses to suit the projection environment. Thanks to the illumination power and compact design of the Christie HD10 projectors, mirrors were used to conceal the projectors flat on the floor beneath glass plates. All the images were stored on clusters of rackable PCs and modified Macintosh Minis. The model's "hostesses" are responsible for launching the immersive show from a touch-sensitive panel controlling the Flex-programmed automation (Adobe Integrated Runtime). This application is connected to a network gateway custom-designed by Avant-Garde Imaging and communicates with a Dataton Watchout system comprising over 20 clusters.

Another Award for The Grand Mosque

Abu Dhabi's Grand Mosque has picked up another award for its lighting design: the Germany-based Professional Lighting Designers' Association presented it with a Recognition Award for Best New Project. Others have included the IALD Award of Merit, IES Award of Excellence and two Middle East Lighting Design Awards for Project of the Year and Best Public Building Lighting Project. It has also been shortlisted for the ESTA Rock Our World Awards, to be announced later this month at LDI in Orlando.

With lighting designed by Speirs and Major Associates (SaMA), over 1,200 Martin fixtures, Erco interior lights and ETC Source Four luminaires are controlled by 21 Congo Light Servers and 15 Unison processors by ETC and supplied by Oasis Enterprises. Seventeen custom built equipment racks and 52 customised dimming racks contain almost 2,300 circuits - Relays, SCR- and ETC Matrix Mk II SineWave dimming - which in combination with the Martin fixtures are controlled via 276 ETC Net3 DMX/RDM Gateways.

The lighting for the building has been designed as a mimic of the moon's phases, so at a full moon, the building is white, and for the new moon it is blue; every day there is a change. In addition to the colour change sequence, ‘clouds' scud across the building as though they were moving from west to east, clearing from Mecca. This was achieved using a series of building-mounted and totem-mounted rigs 20m off the face of the building, from which light is projected.

The latest award, which was presented at the conclusion of the Professional Lighting Design Convention in Berlin, recognises those who have most contributed to the advancement of the field of architectural lighting design. The judges said: "This project incorporates supreme lighting insight and skills. While it respects the building's inherent cultural and religious aspects, it can be celebrated as the best of its kind in aesthetic, meaningful and spiritually overwhelming architectural lighting."

In picture: The Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE, has picked up a PLD Recognition Award for Best New Project

www.etcconnect.com

Systems Solutions Scores at Soccer City

System Solutions, part of the Gearhouse South Africa Group of Companies, has been awarded a 39 million South African Rand contract by the City of Johannesburg to supply and install a High Definition IPTV, digital signage video distribution system as well as two large format, high resolution outdoor LED screens at the brand new flagship Soccer City Stadium venue.

Offering a 95,000 capacity, Soccer City is located near Soweto, and will see a major part of the 2010 FIFA World Cup action, including the Final and the tournament's Opening and Closing Ceremonies. System Solutions won a competitive tender for the installation, pitching against the leading companies in the industry.

The two 86m² Lighthouse R16i/o-II screens will comprise 224 lightweight LED panels, fed by a Vista Spyder video control system, running in conjunction with Christie Digital's newly released Vista Universal Routing Switcher (URS-1608). The control system has been designed for maximum flexibility, with all common formats accommodated at the input and output stages.

AV Stumpfl ISEO will be the main control platform, pulling all the elements of the installation into one master control system. This has the ability to operate and communicate with all other systems, devices and applications plus monitoring devices, providing detailed fault reporting and analysis to the stadium's property and building management systems. The Venue Operations Manager can override all elements of the AV system for emergency purposes as required.

ISEO will also control the video mixing and switching and all playback devices involved, and will allow a single input to control the entire video flow to the main LED Screens, Digital Signage and IPTV systems.

The high definition video control system, digital signage and IPTV signal distribution systems will put the stadium at the cutting edge of modern technology. System Solutions will supply approximately 160 AV Stumpfl ISEO digital signage systems in all public areas of the stadium for general information and commercial advertising purposes. This will display constantly updated information and pre-recorded media content playback. This together with multiple broadcast mixes can be streamed live to any layer on any display.

System Solutions will also provide a multi-channel high definition and standard definition IPTV distribution system comprising high definition hardware encoders, DVB Gateways at the head end and high definition receivers and display screens to all the back of house, VIP and hospitality suites.

System Solutions has amassed a specialist team to design, engineer and integrate all elements involved in this prestigious contract, headed by UK-based project manager Sally Penney.

Stephen Woodroffe is head of technical, chief systems designer and digital signage specialist on the project. Joe Hayes is the on-site works manager and IT network specialist. Mike Tempest, a highly skilled video technician is in charge of the video control and IPTV Systems. Charles Naidoo is the senior installations technician, co-ordinating the specialised equipment installation and systems integration.

Following the success of its work at Soccer City, System Solutions has just won another 20 million ZAR contract to supply similar technology and services to the 70,000 capacity Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. Sean Stewart comments: "It is a privilege for us to be working in the two biggest stadia for 2010. Moses Mabhida is being built as an Olympic Stadium, and with its impressive arches has become an iconic landmark in the area. Its footprint is by far the biggest of all the stadiums in the country. This installation will be a lot easier for SS because all the research and development has been done for the previous stadium, and implementation should go very smoothly."

Martin Pro at Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque Abu Dhabi

Martin Professional Exterior series luminaires have been used to mimic moonlight in a spectacular dynamic illumination for an iconic Middle East mosque, to the lighting design of Speirs and Major Associates

The Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nayhan Mosque (Grand Mosque) in Abu Dhabi is nothing short of extraordinary. A major national religious building, it was built for the people of Abu Dhabi as a monument to their beloved ruler and principal United Arab Emirates architect, Sheikh Zayed, who passed away before the building was completed.

The Grand Mosque is exceptional and imposing in every respect. Clad in marble and gold mosaic with each of four minarets rising to a height of 107 metres, with an 80 metre tall main dome, the more than 22,000 m2 building is the third largest mosque in the world and already one of the world's landmark religious structures, accommodating over 30,000 worshippers.

Illuminating the intricate architecture are Martin Professional Exterior series colour changing luminaires. The installation comprises more than 400 Martin Exterior 1200 Image Projectors, nearly 500 Exterior 200 luminaires, 248 Inground 200 uplights and 56 Exterior 600 luminaires. The IP65 and IP67 rated fixtures operate in an environment where summer temperatures routinely reach 50°C. Supply of the Martin Exteriors was through Martin Professional's local representative, Martin Middle East, who project managed the exterior lighting install in collaboration with Martin's Danish-based headquarters office.

RCF Forum 9000 System Installed at Equatorial Guinea Parliament

An RCF Forum 9000 digital conference system was chosen by The Makinen Venture Corporation for the Equatorial Guinea Parliament, located in the capital city Malabo.

The system is composed of 250 FMS 9411-S microphone sets, semi-flush mounted on the desks of the parliament. The consoles are enabled for voting operations, with the possibility to assign a different level of audio to every seat, and to enable simultaneous translation.

Four FDC 9900 dome cameras with high-speed movement allow camera follow to the microphone in use, displaying video images on to two large plasma displays routed via an FVM9844 audio/video-switching matrix.

RCF Acustica C3110 loudspeakers have been installed as the main audio system for the room, delivering a uniform and highly defined audio coverage.

The project and the system start up, which were configured on site, have been carried out by the RCF Forum team, who quickly adapted the system following the request of the customer during the installation process. These were facilitated by the versatility of the Forum 9000 system, allowing on site customization through its PC software.

Midas PRO6 Installed in Casino du Liban

A Midas PRO6 live audio system has been installed into the Casino du Liban, Lebanon, where it is being used at front of house in the 1,200-capacity venue for a wide range of live music performances, from rock and pop through to jazz, classical, Arabic, dance shows and musicals. The PRO6, the first to be sold in the country, was supplied by Midas' Lebanese distributor, Eltek.
"We consider the Casino du Liban as an extremely important first customer for the Midas PRO6," says Dr Fouad Bechwati, senior acoustics consultant, Eltek. "The console will gain excellent exposure being used on international shows by one of the most competent sound engineers in the country, Tony Khoury. We are very pleased that our first ever sale of the PRO6 has been to a very high profile client, and are happy to confirm that the Casino du Liban intends to purchase further PRO6s to be used as front of house and monitor consoles in two of the venue's theatres."
"I chose this console after much research," says Tony Khoury, chief sound engineer at the Casino du Liban. "I've worked on various Midas consoles over the past 15 years, from the H3000 and XL4 through to the Legend and Siena, and I particularly liked the sound quality of the Midas preamps and EQ. I've tried other digital consoles, but I went for the PRO6 because it's very important to hear the warmth an analogue console can provide to acoustic instruments, and in my experience you can't find it in any other digital console. I'm very pleased to be working on it."
In picture: Tony Khoury, chief sound engineer, Casino du Liban; Dr Fouad Bechwati, senior acoustic consultant, Eltek , with the Midas PRO6
http://www.midasconsoles.com

Selecon Aureols Showcase The Golden King

Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs is a touring exhibit showcasing an amazing array of artifacts from King Tutankhamun and a host of other Pharaohs which has been seen so far by 5 million visitors worldwide. The exhibition focuses on the 18th Dynasty, a 100-year period when Egypt was at the height of its power and the "golden age" of Egyptian artistry revealing the history, family life, religion and many other aspects of the lives of these important rulers.

Featuring over 130 extraordinary objects including many from the reign of Tutankhamun, as well as treasures from the most significant pharaohs who ruled the Nile throughout 2,000 years of history this exhibition places Tutankhamun in the context of ancient Egyptian culture and focuses on the splendor of the Egyptian pharaohs, the significance of kingship to the ancient Egyptian people, and the intricate and symbolic ceremonies related to life and death in the palace.

Lightswitch, a consortium with extensive experience in creating visual design for dynamic live events and compelling architectural environments, worked with a great team put together by Arts & Exhibitions International to mount this breathtaking exhibit. "The Lightswitch team has a great deal of experience in the design of touring exhibits of this type. We know how to re-imagine an exhibit as it moves through multiple venues of varying types. We understand the challenges involved in creating a beautiful and dramatic guest experience while juggling the many concerns that must be considered along the way. We have learned how to combine theatricality, architectural design, and conservation concerns while still keeping a close eye on schedule and budget. We also feel that our depth of experience with these types of projects gives us a unique "big picture" view and helps us to work efficiently with the rest of the production team to achieve all of this," said Bradley Malkus of Lightswitch.

In addition to creating the lighting design, Lightswitch was responsible for the specification and procurement of the entire lighting system which will be used over the entire five-year run of the tour and includes over 200 Selecon Aureol BeamSpots / Shapers. Giving the audience a beautiful exhibit to look at and the ability to clearly see the objects and understand the text, graphics, and video information displays was one major goal of the design for this project. More importantly - as with any project that includes priceless artifacts - great care was also taken to insure that the lighting created a safe environment for the objects as well as the guests.

"We are thrilled with these fixtures. My client loves to show them off, and the crew guys really enjoyed working with them during the installation. So far, they have been extremely reliable and the people that are doing the system maintenance for us have been very impressed as well", said Bradley.

www.seleconlight.com

Just Five Syncrolite Xenon Skylights Wash West Facade of American Airlines Center

The Navy contracted with Syncrolite to light American Airlines Center and West Village in Dallas to promote the website www.navyformoms.com. At American Airlines Center Syncrolite used only five XL10 Xenon Skylights to light the entire West facade of the building (470' wide x 120' tall) and only six SXB-7/3 units to light the North facade (380' wide x 120' tall). Twelve more XL10 units were put on the roof of AA Center to produce beams in the sky.

With XL10s producing about 450,000 lumens per fixture and SXB-7/3s producing 350,000 lumens per fixture, Syncrolite products pack a powerful punch replacing far more complex and maintenance heavy automated fixtures as well as picking up the slack from a high quantity of smaller fixtures - saving time and money when it comes to maintenance, labour, installation costs and quantity of fixtures required.

Lighthouse provides win-win solution for Commercial Bank of Qatar

When the Commercial Bank of Qatar recently completed the construction of its brand new state-of-the-art headquarters, it wanted to give visitors a memorable and eye-catching welcome to the new facility and Lighthouse Technologies' LED screens provided the answer.

Installed by well-established audio-visual integrator Technomight, based in Dubai and Doha, UAE, the installation of an 8 x 6 panel (5.12m(w) x 2.88 m (h)) Lighthouse P6-FA screen in the building's lobby, provides an instant impression of the bank's high quality standards.

"We first met Lighthouse in 2007 to discuss some potential projects at the Dubai Palme exhibition and have maintained regular contact ever since," says Technomight's Yogesh S. Wadke.

"This is the first time we have installed Lighthouse LED panels. We chose the P6-FA front access panels because the bank needs excellent picture quality with a short viewing distance. Also, front access for maintenance was an important requirement."

The P6 panels provide an optimum resolution for the viewing distance in the building's lobby. Content includes a wide range of bank-related activities, including promotional material, information on the Qatar economy and footage of programmes and events sponsored by the bank. The screen showcases achievements and contributions from the Bank to Qatar's dynamic and growing economy.

While the bank manages the content in-house, Lighthouse and Technomight worked closely together to provide a complete solution, including screen controls, which includes connectivity of various types of visual inputs to the LED display such as Digital Signage Server, DVD, Streaming Computer Images or Satellite Television feed.

Lighthouse's sales manager Andrea Greguoldo supported Technomight throughout the process, helping them to select the most appropriate product, assisting with tender management, as well as being on hand throughout the installation, as was Lighthouse's technical manager, Olaf Mineo.

"The biggest challenge for us was that the decision to install the screen was made after renovation of the lobby was complete, which necessitated the removal of the wall cladding to accommodate the screen," continues Mr Wadke. "The surface beneath was uneven, making it difficult to align the screen panels seamlessly.

"Lighthouse gave us a great deal of help in solving the alignment issue and, once the screen had been finally fitted, the result was flawless."

As its first Lighthouse installation in Qatar, Technomight has been impressed with the quality of the finished project and the company is looking forward to further projects using Lighthouse LED equipment.

"We are very happy with it and, most importantly, the client is also very pleased with it," says Mr Wadke.

Technomight is now bidding on several other projects using Lighthouse screens. It feels its relationship with Lighthouse is excellent and is proving a win-win situation for all concerned.

Arup Designed Arts Centre Opens in Izmir, Turkey

On 3rd March 2009, the newly completed Ahmed Adnan Saygun Arts Centre in Izmir, Turkey, designed by Arup and Tozkoparan Architects, opened its doors to the public for the opening performance of the 16th European Jazz Festival.  Grammy award winning American jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater was accompanied by the Istanbul Big Band to critical acclaim. 

Arup Acoustics and a multidisciplinary engineering team from Arup worked closely with Turkey based Tozkoparan Architects to deliver the new Centre. The acoustics and venue planning were an integrated part of the design from the outset with the goal of providing a building with world-class facilities within affordable budgets.

The new arts centre, known as AASSM, is named after Turkish composer and musicologist Ahmed Adnan Saygun, who died in 1991. The Centre incorporates an 1100 seat concert hall, a 300 seat recital hall as well as visual art gallery spaces. The concert hall will host regular concerts by the Izmir State Symphony Orchestra as well as performers from all over the world. Saygun's music was performed during test concerts in December 2008 as well as a performance by Turkish pianist Gulsin Onay, a student of Saygun.

The concert hall allows for flexibility in performance arrangement by means of a platform lift which can be used to extend the performance area, or extend the seating capacity of the stalls where a large performance area is not required. The lift can also be lowered to create an orchestra pit to facilitate the performance of ‘concert opera'. Remotely operated acoustic banners and drapes reduce reverberation, allowing the hall to host jazz, spoken word and amplified performances. Upstage panels can be rotated to be sound reflecting or absorbing depending on the performance type.

Between its teams in the UK and Istanbul, Arup provided integrated services in venue planning, planning, acoustics, stage engineering, sound and communications, concert and working light systems, daylight advice in gallery spaces, structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing services.

Martin Pro at Khalidiyah Mall in Abu Dhabi

Martin Professional Exterior 1200 Wash colour changing luminaires are being used to visually enhance the lengthy, anterior façade of Abu Dhabi's Khalidiyah Shopping Mall in the United Arab Emirates. Combining with Martin Exterior 600 colour changers, the Exterior fixtures project a series of multi-chromatic shades onto the building's modern Islamic architecture.

Rising from Abu Dhabi's bustling new city center, Khalidiyah Mall is a high profile shopping center whose architectural design combines the traditional with the contemporary. The Mall's concept goes beyond shopping to embrace leisure, entertainment and dining, and includes landscape features like fountains and a summer gardens.

The 80,000 sqm, two-story mall is the most ambitious project yet of the Emke group/Line Investments & Property who currently operate five shopping malls with more in the pipeline. Owners of the acclaimed retail chain of LULU hypermarkets, they have been active in the Gulf's retail sector for years.

Keeping in line with the Mall's intent of boosting the economic profile of Abu Dhabi, an eye-catching exterior lighting scheme was sought. "We wanted to do something different that would enhance the building's looks as the existing façade lighting was not able to give the desired results," commented Paul Mathews, technical coordinator of Line Investments & Property. "A demo was given by Martin Professional Middle East based on the requirement of the client and the lighting matched our expectations exactly."

The client chose Martin Professional's Exterior range fixtures - Exterior 1200 Wash (1200 W) and Exterior 600 (575 W) - to dynamically illuminate the façade in a variety of shades. The fixtures are pole mounted in the outdoor parking lot and DMX controlled via a PC-based Martin LightJockey system.

The Exterior Series fixtures - programmable IP65 rated luminaires with CMY color mixing systems, full-range continuous dimming and uniform distribution of light and color - were supplied by Martin Professional Middle East. The project was installed in August of 2008. Lighting design was a collaboration between Line Investments & Property and Martin Professional Middle East. 

"Because customers would like to experience something different, the color changing aspect of the luminaires is especially useful," states Mathews. "To my knowledge this type of lighting has not been tried in any of the commercial complexes in Abu Dhabi.

"We have received very good comments from customers on this new type of lighting and we have not faced any issues to date with the exception of a few teething problems in the initial period.

"Because of the efforts of Mr. Bilal Assidi of Martin Middle East we finished all the work on time. Martin Professional has been very positive to work with and we have referred them for our upcoming projects."

The client is also quite satisfied with the result. Regarding the exterior lighting scheme, Nishanth K C, Maintenance Engineer at Khalidiyah Mall, stated, "The color changing lights have enhanced the look of the Mall and so far the performance has been good."

www.martin.com

Twin Qatar Stadiums Install Weather-Protected Meyer Sound MILO and SB-2

Qatar's Al-Khor and Al-Wakrah football stadiums have recently installed Meyer Sound MILO line array loudspeakers and the SB-2 parabolic wide-range sound beams, with the entire project handled by AV-TECH of Doha.

Looking like identical twins from the air, the two stadiums are located about 55 km apart on opposite sides of Doha, the capital of Qatar. When AV-TECH was contracted to install jumbo video screens and accompanying sound systems at both venues, the goal was to deliver highly intelligible speech and wide-bandwidth music to all 20,000 seats from one screen-side tower. It was an ambitious goal, as each point-source system would have to cover all of the seats at the stadium. Meyer Sound provided a clear solution.

"Our design specification called for 105 dB SPL throughout, the same as for similar stadium systems we had done previously," says Hadi Arzouni, general manager of AV-TECH. "But here, because users wanted to have music during events, usually with video playback, we added the SB-2s and 700-HP subwoofers to get improved midrange projection and bass as well as very high intelligibility."

The towers at the two stadiums support identical configurations, each with 15 self-powered Meyer Sound loudspeakers, custom-painted in sand color. Two arrays, each comprising three MILO and one MILO 120 line array loudspeakers, cover the stadium's long sides. The twin SB-2 sound beams aim focused sound over the pitch to the far end seats, while three CQ-2 loudspeakers are tilted down to cover close-end seating. From the tower's center, two prodigiously powerful 700-HP subwoofers radiate bass throughout the vicinity. A Galileo loudspeaker management system provides system drive and processing.

Although a roof is in the plans, the systems are now exposed to climatic extremes that are typical in places situated between warm Gulf waters and desert, where dust storms, high humidity, and temperatures often reach more than 50 degrees Celsius. Nevertheless, reports Arzouni, the weather-protected Meyer Sound systems have maintained flawless reliability through all scheduled football matches.

The client is pleased with the new sound system and the smoothness of the installation process. "The sound quality is excellent, especially during playback music," says Ghanim Al-Kuwari, Head of Maintenance and Project Manager of the Sports Facilities & Installations Department of Qatar Olympic Committee.

The renovation of the Al-Khor and Al-Wakrah football stadiums was handled by International Trading & Contracting.

Turbosound Loudspeakers are Fantastic for Plastik

Located adjacent to the Al Jazira hotel complex at Ghantoot, midway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Plastik Beach Club is one of the latest leisure destinations in the UAE where those who want to see and be seen can relax and enjoy themselves.

With comfortable surroundings, a restaurant, spa, club nights, fashion shows, VIP terrace and exclusive hillside retreat, much of the club is open to the spectacular night sky. And it's all accompanied by the very latest music, delivered by Turbosound loudspeakers.

Specified and installed by Dubai-based Reference Audio, the Plastik Beach Club features 10 TCS-121CW and four Impact 50 full range units, plus two TCS-218 subs, all painted white to match the club's colour scheme. It is the latest of a number of clubs in the region to feature Turbosound loudspeakers, thanks to their inherent sound quality and ability to acoustically cope with the open air environment.

"The sound quality of the speakers was extremely important, of course," says Fadi Costantine, head of Pro Audio Division at Reference Audio. "The club also wanted an IP rated speaker, so the TCS series was the ideal solution."

SGM on the Azadi Tower in Teheran

Like the monumental gates of ancient times, to all the visitors to Teheran since 1971, the impressive Azadi Tower indicates the entrance to the city.

The "Tower of Freedom" was built on the occasion of the 2,500th anniversary of the foundation of the Persian Empire and is located in the centre of the square of the same name, a flat 50,000m² space.

The unusual architecture of the gate combines Islamic and Sassanid architectural styles and due to this original combination seems both modern and solemn.

Fifty metres high, the Azadi Tower stands out in the immense surrounding space thanks also to the 8000 blocks of white marble from which it was built, whose shapes were calculated to the millimetre by a computer.
The unusual lines and construction material are perfectly suited to the lighting effects of the new project for illuminating the monument at night, achieved using:

56 Genio Mobile with 8° lens, installed at the side of the main path leading to the tower, 120 Palco 5 with 8° lens, on the perimeter of the building's four oblique legs and 16 Genio Mobile with 25° lens, installed on the inside part of the arch.

The entire system is controlled by a Regia 2048 Live console and a Regia 2048 Pro used as a back-up system.

Far from the past and present, at night the complex of the building and the square becomes an avant-garde site, thanks to the effect of the LED light fixtures.
The SGM fixtures, supplied by TechnoPro L.L.C., were perfectly able to meet the need to avoid mounting screws, brackets or other hardware necessary for installing the units directly on the historic building's structure.

In particular, the Palco 5 were fitted in a special channel dug round the tower and then covered with glass.

TAO Group Consults on new Dubai Arena

UK based Event Company TAO Group has won the contract to consult on Dubai's new state of the art multi-purpose venue, The Palladium.

The Palladium, built at a cost of AED120 million (US$32.6 million), will be the first venue of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa, exclusively dedicated to cater to the widest array of events such as concerts, theatrical productions, conferences, corporate events, exhibitions, award ceremonies, galas and special functions.

Raymond Gaspar of ICE - International Communications and Entertainment - awarded the prestigious contract to TAO Group to consult on the technical fit out of the venue, stewarding and medical appointments, traffic and pedestrian planning, occupational safety and to prepare technical specifications to ease the attendance of touring production.

As general manager of The Palladium, Raymond Gaspar said: "This unique venue can be set-up in a variety of creative ways to suit any event theme and size. We will provide all the elements to facilitate the work of promoters and event organisers to produce world class events at The Palladium."

The Palladium is designed as a multi-purpose venue with a capacity of over 5,000 people for concerts. Setting up the venue to a client's specifications is possible in a matter of hours, with a movable stage, state-of-the-art visual effects, acoustics configurable to different applications, advanced branding mediums, foldable and retractable seats, and Sky Boxes for VIPs and VVIPs.

Andy Cotton of TAO said: "We are very excited to be part of this project, it allows us to use all of our group partners from TAO Medical, TAO Fire, TAO Traffic and TAO MIsc (that covers safety) as well as the knowledge we have in TAO Productions from running shows, events and production over the last 15 years."

With the opening of The Palladium scheduled for January 2009, TAO is working hard to put technical specification packs together, train staff and re-route the traffic infrastructure in consultation with officers from the municipal departments of Dubai.

Raymond Gaspar concluded: "We want this venue to be world class not only in design and equipment but also in operation and safety. As the UAE uses the basis of legislation from Europe it made sense for us to bring in top people from that area."

EvenLED Dynamic Wallpaper Decorates Lebanon's Future TV Studio

EvenLED, Martin Professional's bright system of LED panels for extremely uniform projection, has been utilized to great effect in several TV studios around the world.

One of those studios, Future TV in Lebanon, has implemented the modular system in its newsroom where two vertical columns of five EvenLED panels rise around a video wall to form a unique decorative background.

"Originally, the client wanted simply to change the set of the daily news show from a studio-based set into a newsroom environment set," says Ali Wazani, managing director of Wazani & Associates, an architectural firm responsible for some of the region's top television studio designs.

"Most of today's TV stations, international events and productions base their design on a branding and identity brief. It is the exceptional image that we are all striving to achieve," Wazani explains. "EvenLED can easily brand large surfaces with dynamic moving backgrounds or generate geometric and non-geometric wall covering patterns - let's call it electronic dynamic wallpaper."

DMX controllable and capable of extremely smooth dimming, each EvenLED module consists of evenly spaced and individually controlled 6-watt RGB LEDs. Positioned behind translucent glass in the Future TV newsroom, the EvenLED panels create two decorative pillars of flicker free, color changing light that help to visually stretch the space vertically.

"EvenLED is a member of the new world of LED," Wazani comments. "It is a very bright, low resolution screen that can easily be installed to cover super large surfaces. The panels are light, easy to install and ship, and 100 panels can easily cover 100 sq.m of architecture. In fact, it should really be used on large surfaces in order to reveal its beauty.

"Dynamic graphic designs can only be interpreted for the set on super large self luminous surfaces via LED matrix technology. The 1 x 1 meter size of the EvenLED panel is unique and forms the basic module for such a transformation of information."

For the Future TV studio Wazani introduced a three-level atrium structure within the closed metal box structure. The ground level housed the main activities: studio and newsroom. The other two levels accommodated ancillary functions such as edit suits, archives and current affairs departments. "Such a spatial organization made the internal space feel like a small technological village," Wazani comments. "The materials used were basically steel and glass in different shades and textures. This choice of contemporary materials, coupled with precise LED light technology, enhanced our slick transparent design."

Wazani & Associates not only design television studios (they have done work for Middle East Broadcasting Center, Arabiya News Channel, and others) but are also involved in the building design industry. "We consider TV sets an experimental design platform for our original architectural work," Wazani says. "Our experiments evolve according to the evolution of new materials, design strategies and the lighting industry. Whenever there are new technologies in lighting, designers get the chance to produce innovative and creative new designs."

Supplier of the Martin EvenLED panels to Future TV was Martin Middle East. Ali Wazani has also incorporated the EvenLED panels into a studio design at Al Arabiya News Channel in Dubai.

www.martin.com

Sound and Variable Directivity at Azadi Theatre in Tehran thanks to Outline

Azadi is a six-floor multi-room building in uptown Tehran with an overall seating capacity of 1153. The top two floors of this building host the venue's largest room, mainly designed to carry the functions of a concert hall, but also equipped in order to be able to host a very wide variety of events.

In this specific case, the entire acoustic treatment and fitting out work, which lasted ten months and concluded with an inauguration ceremony attended by Tehran's Mayor, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf - involved the integration of the most advanced audio technology the market had to offer.

In particular, the care taken with acoustics and the choice and positioning of the theatre's sound reinforcement system had to ensure excellent sound results, able to meet the most stringent requisites. These results were perfectly achieved, say Outline.

The technical specifications required a mini-COM.P.A.S.S. Outlinearray, the well known compact self-powered VLA manufactured by Outline of Brescia (Italy); a system - the manufacturer emphasizes - also able to offer directivity that can be adjusted between 60 and 150 degrees on the horizontal plane, even asymmetrically if necessary and with sixteen different dispersion combinations. So far, this is the only product on the world market with this innovative patented function (Outline won an Award for Product Innovation at the 2005 Plasa Show in London).

In fact, the obliged positioning of the two arrays meant that their horizontal dispersion could not be identical and had to be asymmetric for all the elements to avoid audio reflections from the walls, which were very close to the arrays' hanging points.

The Azadi Theatre's rig comprises 14 mini-COM.P.A.S.S. modules, which ensure correct even coverage throughout the entire theatre, and this important result, achieved for the first time in Iran, met with the satisfaction of the technicians and the client.

The 14 mini-COM.P.A.S.S. are combined with four LAB 15 SP (1x15", self-powered), ultra-compact subwoofers just 43 cm. high and weighing just 52 kg, but able to reach down to considerably low frequencies and able to push out a high SPL (137 db @ 1m. peak).

The installation was completed by four multi-purpose DVS 10 enclosures (1x10"; 1x1") for under-balcony use and two DVS 12 (1x12"; 1x3") on front fill duties, covering the front rows of the audience. The DVS enclosures, in this case all passive versions, are powered by Outline T44 amplifiers and processed by DSP Genius 26.

The manager for the entire project was Masood Roostaei, supported by sound engineer Moghadam, and the equipment was supplied by Hashemi Trading Design and Installation, exclusive Outline distributor for Iran.

Calibration and final tests were carried out by Outline system engineer Francesco Ferretti, who has lengthy well-proven experience in the regulation and fine-tuning of the manufacturer's loudspeaker systems installed throughout the world. Following the leading edge realisations using Outline products in 2007 at the Talar Handisheh and Talar Honar theatres, Tehran Municipality has commissioned Hashemi Trading work for three more theatres. In fact, installation is currently under way of another mini-COM.P.A.S.S. system plus Subtech and DVS units in the first of the three new theatres, named ‘M Five'.

The other two theatres that will benefit from Outline sound will be finished by the end of 2008 and work is already at an advanced stage.

ChainMaster Supplies Ice Stadium in Dubai Mall

ChainMaster has just produced a BGV-C1 chain-hoist system comprising 56 chain hoists, a computer-based controller and a switching cabinet, for the ice rink in Dubai Mall. The 500kg and 800kg chain hoists are equipped with absolute value encoders and the new ChainMaster load measurement system that has made it possible to reduce the overall height of the chain hoists by around 20cm. The control and programming of the chain hoists is performed at a mobile computerised controller for installation work.

The recently opened Dubai Mall is part of the 20 billion dollar investment in downtown Burj Dubai that includes the world's highest building, the Burj Dubai. The Mall will accommodate over 1,200 businesses, 160 F&B outlets, attractions such as the Dubai Aquarium and the Discovery Center, the largest jewellery market in the world, a Fashion Avenue and a 22-screen Cineplex.

www.chainmaster.de

Grand Hyatt Muscat gets five-star upgrade to Lab.gruppen

The Grand Hyatt Muscat, with its stunning waterfront location, five star rating and a list of facilities and amenities as long as your arm, is one of the largest and most opulent hotels in Muscat. It is also home to several of Oman's hottest nightspots and entertainment venues including Club Safari, Copacabana and the sumptuous Afrah Ballroom. Audio quality throughout has recently been enhanced and refined with an upgrade to Lab.gruppen's dedicated installation range of C Series multi-channel power amplifiers, supplied and installed by Lab.gruppen's exclusive distributor in Oman, Bright Lights.

Club Safari is a dazzling three-level venue that offers an eclectic mix of high-tech entertainment and African design, including a live stage on the middle level. A powerful 4-channel Lab.gruppen C 68:4 runs the main stage PA comprising two 2 x 18-inch subs and two 12-inch mid-high cabinets from Ohm, while the stage monitor system is handled by an 8-channel C 20:8X powering six 12-inch Ohm wedges. The remaining two channels are powering the in-fill surround speakers.

Copacabana was the second venue to benefit from the Lab.gruppen upgrade. Billed as Muscat's premier club, the interior of Copacabana is inspired by the vibrant carnival atmosphere of Rio de Janeiro. Like Club Safari, a C 68:4 drives the main system, although this time the mid-high section is comprised of four 12-inch loudspeakers. A further four-channel C 28:4 powers the 2 x 700 W DJ monitor system with the remaining channels driving the delayed surround sound system.

Finally, the magnificent Afrah Ballroom which plays host to everything from upmarket weddings and elegant private parties to state functions and royal galas, has been equipped with two C 68:4 power amplifiers driving a total of thirty-two Ohm BR6 250 W speakers across four separate zones. According to Bright Light's Sabri Al-Busaidi, Lab.gruppen's C Series range proved to be the ideal choice to meet the Grand Hyatt Muscat's power requirements. "The great thing about these amplifiers is their astonishing power-to-size ratio and the high channel density," explained Sabri. "I am delivering more power with even better sound quality using only a fraction of the total number of units than was previously the case, so saving on space, time and money. I've only used a few of the models available, but it's a big range and there is something for every type and size of installation. I also think the feature set is superb with networking, remote monitoring and control facilities as standard and of course the ability to adjust maximum voltage peak output and gain per channel. All in all an excellent package that has made a huge difference to the final result. The client is very happy!"

Lab.gruppen Saddles up with AV-TECH in Qatar

Most Qataris are passionate about horses and take their equestrian traditions very seriously. As a result, there is a surprising number of extremely plush equestrian facilities throughout this small state, including those of the Qatar Equestrian Federation in the capital city of Doha. When the QEF decided that a full upgrade of their public address system was necessary, following major improvements to their indoor and training facilities, they turned straight away to AV-TECH, one of Qatar's leading suppliers of high end audio, video, broadcast and lighting equipment with a formidable reputation for high quality systems contracting. After much deliberation, AV-TECH engineers eventually settled for a custom-designed solution from Meyer Sound and Community with amplification from Lab.gruppen's installation-dedicated C Series range.

The installation covered several areas including the main indoor arena and associated warm-up area as well as the main outdoor arena and its associated warm-up area. The areas to be covered were enormous and there were several logistical difficulties to overcome, but eventually the consultants and engineers agreed to adopt a surface element approach as that which provided optimum coverage and the best value for money.

The project included the supply, installation and commissioning of thirty-two Meyer Sound UPJ 1P self-powered speakers and thirty-two Community R.25 horn speakers powered by four Lab.Gruppen C16:4 4-channel power amplifiers in the indoor arena (main arena and warm-up arena). The outdoor arena PA installation included twelve Meyer Sound M2D line array cabinets, sixteen M1D line array cabinets and four Community R1-94z 2 way horn system units powered by a further four Lab.Gruppen C 16:4 power amplifiers. In both arenas, all the speakers were connected to a Midas Venice 16-channel mixing desk and managed by a Meyer Sound Galileo 616 speaker management system.

"Despite the logistical difficulties we had to overcome in mounting the loudspeakers, the combination of MeyerSound, Community and Lab.gruppen delivers the highest quality sound," stated AV-TECH's Hadi Arzouni. "We selected Lab.gruppen's C Series because of their build quality and reliability and their high channel density. You are also able to select your output load per channel which makes them incredibly versatile, and of course they sound extremely good."

"The PA in all areas will relay the paging calls as well as a mix of sources," continued Arzouni. "These include the presenters' microphones, courtside radio microphones and other virtually routed sources. We can route any input we receive from Al-Jazeera Sport Channel or other providers, using our Galileo system, into the court mix," he explained. The specification called for a full music-rated system (although it will hardly be used as such). "Via the Meyer sound Galileo we have dynamics and EQ on every input (comp, limiters, parametric and gain), while on every output there's parametric EQ, limiting, delay and routing - this allows us to transmit test signals during the Championships, so we always know what to expect."

The entire system has now been tested and commissioned and the client (Qatar Equestrian Federation) is delighted by the results.  

 

 

 

ETC Help Palazzo Las Vegas Achieve Leadership Standard

Thanks in part to ETC lighting products, the Palazzo Las Vegas is not only the newest, tallest and most luxurious hotel and resort complex on the Strip, it is also the greenest. The $1.9 billion (£1.1 billion), 50-storey Palazzo Las Vegas opened in December 2007, and now holds a Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the US Green Building Council.

The largest LEED structure in the world, Palazzo Las Vegas presages a new era of conservation minded building construction in the area. According to an article in USA Today, plans are underway to build more than 50 million square feet (4.6 million sq m) of new casino resort projects to LEED standards on and around the Strip, and existing resorts are looking at improving their energy efficiency.

Energy efficiency is a cornerstone of LEED compliance, and ETC lighting products were one element that enabled Palazzo Las Vegas to meet the standard. An ETC Unison lighting control system and ETC Sensor+ dimming were part of the installed lighting package, plus more than 100 ETC Source Four luminaires, which are an energy-frugal standard of the industry. The Unison system is programmed to save energy through automated functions such as occupancy sensing (dimming the lights when no people are present in a space) and daylight harvesting, where lights are dimmed in response to the amount of available natural light.

"We're starting to automatically approach projects from a green mindset," says Buddy Pope, senior project manager with the Las Vegas office of 4Wall Entertainment. 4Wall Entertainment established the general lighting control guidelines and specified the lighting control package that was provided to supplier Gexpro, to meet the requirements of the various lighting designers for the space. "For instance," he continues, "we make the most of sky-lit areas through the use of daylight sensors, automatic dimming and the ability to turn off entire circuits. The ETC Unison control is well suited to that because it is designed to perform astronomical functions and to interface with photo cells."

The Palazzo complex includes a hotel tower of over 3,000 guest suites surrounded by a vast, sky-lit podium/atrium area designed by architect HKS Inc, featuring luxury retail shops and world-class dining and entertainment. The theatre there is a permanent venue for the Tony Award winning musical Jersey Boys.

Kaplan Gehring McCarroll Architectural Lighting Inc (KGM) provided lighting design for much of the complex. "The aesthetic challenges are a little different when lighting an interior that already has so much natural light," comments KGM partner Martin van Koolbergen. "You're no longer dealing with space as a box. In certain areas, you have to counter the intensity of the natural light and balance it with uplighting and decorative features. At night, the lighting control system has to be balanced to maintain the proper foot candles on the ground to meet emergency standards, deemphasise the ‘black holes' of the skylights and retain the monumental feeling of the architecture. A lot depended on the use of energy-efficient lamps and sources, and the ETC control system with its dimming capacity."

The Palazzo's annual savings in electricity is reckoned to be more than 10.6 million kilowatt hours, enough to power 700 homes for a year, or brew six million cups of coffee.

"This project is a new benchmark for the industry," says van Koolbergen. "It demonstrates that the developer of a major upscale property - on the Strip or elsewhere - can maintain standards for quality, drama and experience and also be environmental good guys. Not only do you create more efficient spaces, you create a setting that is pleasant and healthier in which to live and work." KGM worked closely with owner Las Vegas Sands Corp, HKS and consulting firm Ernst & Young on the specifics of LEED compliance.

Additional lighting designers on The Palazzo project included Pivotal Lighting Design (Canyon Ranch), First Circle (Cut Restaurant), IDC New Jersey (Carnevino Restaurant), Bliss-Fasman (Charlie Trotter Restaurant), Tom Ruzika (Morels Restaurant), Isometrix (Sushi Samba), Arc Lighting (Bath House) and Focus Lighting (Dos Caminos and Table Ten restaurants).

The lighting gear list includes a total of 50 ETC dimmer racks, 97 ETC Unison stations, over 1,800 ETC dimmer modules, 52 Source Four HID 150W luminaires, and 50 Source Four 375W luminaires.

In picture: The lobby at Palazzo Las Vegas

www.etcconnect.com

ETC Puts the Grand Mosque in the Right Light

The majestic Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque (also known as the Grand Mosque) in Abu Dhabi has been described as the most striking religious and national landmark in the city to date. Now the lighting has won Speirs and Major Associates international accolades for their design, including two Middle East Lighting Design Awards (MELDA) - Project of the Year and Best Public Building Lighting Project. The project uses a huge ETC ACN network for remote device management as well as Congo control systems, ETC Matrix Mk II SineWave dimming and several hundred ETC Source Fours.

With a brief of creating inspired lighting appropriate to this iconic civic building, both externally and internally, and emphasise its standing as a gateway into the city, Speirs and Major specified

building-wide ETC dimming and control systems. Keith Bradshaw, associate director at Speirs and Major says: "Given the scale and the sophistication of the control system we required, we knew there were very few people who could manage it properly. It needed to be a company who were able to think laterally when faced with complex and unique problems and we knew ETC had the flexibility and brainpower to deal with it. ETC's product reliability is self-evident, but there is just something about the mentality of its people and their background - we knew they could handle something of this scale."

Accommodating more than 40,000 worshippers in its prayer halls and courtyard, this is the largest mosque in UAE and one of the largest in the world, covering an area of more than 22,000 square metres. Internally, the lighting had to celebrate all the architectural details and features, while providing a level of functionality for reading and prayer as well as being suitable for TV broadcasting. The breath-taking lighting complements the mosque's impressive interior design, which incorporates Italian white marble, inlaid floral designs and gold mosaics and, in the main prayer hall, the world's largest hand-woven Persian carpet.

Arguably one of the most important architectural buildings in modern UAE society, the Grand Mosque has taken ten years to complete and materials were sourced from all over the world to ensure the building was finished to the highest quality. 

   In picture: ETC luminaires, dimmers and control products are in use at Abu Dhabi's Grand Mosque.

www.etcconnect.com

Martin Equips P&O Cruises Ventura

The largest superliner built exclusively for the British market, the 116,000 ton P&O Cruises Ventura, calls Southampton her home port. On April 18, soon after delivery from Italy's Fincantieri shipyard, the Ventura sailed on her maiden voyage to the Mediterranean, decked out in a full complement of colour and effect lighting from Martin Professional.

"In my role as entertainment consultant to P&O Cruises I was instrumental in selecting Martin as the lead supplier to provide the ‘moving light' elements of the entertainment systems for Ventura," states Chris Blackburn of Snap2Black.

Ventura incorporates flexible Martin lighting systems into several areas of the ship. Its many unique features - multiple bars, lounges, and show spaces, not to mention a variety of pools and relaxation areas - means she offers fantastic choice. "Most major entertainment areas are multi-use, although they do have a main use focus," says Chris. "They all have an identity."

The two-deck Arena Theatre is the ship's primary show space. "The brief was to augment the generic rig with moving light and mirror fixtures. There were three or four companies all with equipment that we could have used, but the decision went to Martin to supply, which we are all very pleased with," Chris says.

Chris mentions reliability, maintenance, ease of use, ease of installation and lighting effect as key factors in choosing the Martin lighting gear, but light output and technical support were of paramount importance. He states: "We were looking for brightness as a key element, as well as flexibility of the unit. But one of the most important for me was the confidence I felt with Martin as a company to provide the backup and support in what is always a difficult time when launching a ship.

"It's a very harsh environment with vibration issues which you don't have in land based productions. There is the constant change in temperature and the gear is really hammered. The ship is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year with something going on virtually all of the time so the equipment is used for more than just evening performances. We're looking for reliability in the mechanics of the fixture because once we put it up in a rig it's pretty much set there."

Positioned in the theatre rig are 11 MAC 700 Profiles, 35 MAC 700 Washes, 14 MAC 550 Profiles and 16 Atomic 3000 strobes. The rig supports more than the main shows but a variety of on board activities from cabaret performances and theme nights to marketing activities.

The Arena Theatre stages several quality productions produced by Jean Ann Ryan Productions. Lighting designer for the on-board productions is Jim Ryan of Infocus FX and Lighting. Permanent lighting technician onboard Ventura is production manager Greg Edrich.

You can dance the salsa to Latino rhythms in Havana or relax in the exotic show lounge, The Tamarind Club. In either venue, you'll be enjoying yourself beneath a Martin rig of 4 Mania SCX 700 effect lights, 4 MX-10 Extreme scanners and 4 Martin smartMAC moving heads. In Havana are an additional 12 Wizard Extreme effect lights and 2 Atomic 3000 strobes. In both venues, a Martin Magnum Club Smoke system, a unique multi-headed fog delivery package with a ground based fluid supply, provides the mid-air projection canopy for light beam and atmosphere enhancement. The Martin gear is used to augment an existing rig and adds a high energy element to both areas.

"Everyone onboard fell in love with the smartMAC," comments Chris Blackburn. "I first saw it at PLASA. The profile, the size, the fact that it actually looks quite funky for that environment, and with energy savings more important than even a few years ago, it's a good fixture for ships. It's also quick to get at and easy to service."

The smartMAC is a bright 150 W moving head profile luminaire that offers superior reliability, long service intervals, total silence and reduced power bills thanks to a unique fanless cooling system (no dust and pollutants are forced into the fixture). Extremely bright, the smartMAC houses eight interchangeable dichroic colours and six interchangeable effects.

Both Havana and The Tamarind Club feature small stages and dance areas. Most of the Martin fixtures are located above the dance floor, MX-10 and Manias rigged front and back. Others are positioned upstage to project across the bandstand and onto the dance floor. The effects are used as a disco effect when required or used in the cabaret show set up or for other activities.

Havana, the aft lounge and the ship's second major cabaret venue, serves as the main disco two thirds of the year. It is used for children's cruises and as a family/youth area the other third of the year. When Havana functions as the main disco, The Tamarind Club, smaller and located in the center of the ship, is used for more niche late night entertainment for those who want a bit quieter environment. When Havana features family activities, The Tamarind Club serves as the adult disco. Because of its customizable nature, the Martin gear adjusts accordingly.

Specified by Project International for the ship's atrium are eight MAC 700 Profiles and four MAC 700 Washes. The atrium serves as the ship's hub, a three deck high entrance area from where you find shops, an elegant piano bar, coffee shop bar, art gallery, reception and more.

Installed as a colour changing architectural element along with LED, the Martin fixtures alter the look and therefore the atmosphere of the space as the day progresses. Chris states that, although it has yet to be realized, there are plans for a short show in the atrium, which the Martin lights will be instrumental in lighting. "It was important that we had equipment that would serve a dual purpose," he says. "We also swing the lights into position to light the Captain when he hosts the Captains Cocktail Party, and for other events."

As a high profile family ship, it was important that outdoor events were a part of the program on Ventura, therefore another Jean Ann Ryan Production takes place at the Laguna Pool. "We needed powerful fixtures out there because the show goes from sunset into early evening into the night," Chris says, "hence we went for the MAC 2000 for their power and the flexibility a fixture like that offers, augmented by the MAC 700."

The production and other events take place on a dedicated stage - a raised platform - across one end of the pool. Here are six MAC 2000 Profiles in Tempest domes along with four MAC 700 Profiles and 4 MAC 700 Washes. On occasion, the MAC 700s are moved and used in the atrium.

Elsewhere, four MiniMAC Profiles and four Raptor effect lights keep the energy level high in the Teen Centre, where teens can indulge their fantasies of musical stardom by attending Rock School.

Installation of the Martin lighting gear for Ventura was handled by John Fearon of Eclipse Lighting & Sound of the UK.

Ventura is based in Southampton during the spring and summer months, offering holidays of between two and 16 nights in duration in the Mediterranean, Baltic and Atlantic Isles. Between October and March each year she will offer 14 night Caribbean fly-cruise holidays from Barbados.

photos: P&O Cruises

www.martin.com

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