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New Sparkassen-Karree Bank HQ Networks with Soundweb London
BSS Audio, a Salt Lake City-based manufacturer of professional signal processing products and a division of Harman International is playing a key role in networking a major new facility in Germany.
When asbestos was discovered in the old Sparkassen-Karree bank in the German city of Hagen four years ago, there were two options facing the board of directors: to systematically eradicate the problem or demolish the 30-year-old skyscraper building entirely, replacing it with a new, more efficient building.
The directors of the savings bank chose the latter as being the more economical option, and in 2004 the old building was demolished and the new two-year construction programme began.
The plan was for a five-storey, 100-metre high building measuring 125 metres by 50 metres, set on a plot size of 27,000 sq metres. Designed by architects Bremmer-Lorenz-Frielinghaus the new complex has provided Sparkasse with an exhilarating, new age headquarters, incorporating offices for solicitors and accountants, congress and conference rooms, an events centre as well as restaurants, bars and shops.
The contract to supply the advanced multimedia infrastructure — issued by main contractors ABB and Sparkasse — was won by KST-Moschkau who provided an integrated multimedia solution for the facilities on the ground, first and fourth floors.
Supervised by project manager Markus Schneidersmann, KST-Moschkau’s work included outfitting a management conference room, a three-room sales training area (with camera recording facilities) and two large conference rooms (with wireless microphone systems). But their biggest challenge was equipping the Events Centre on the ground floor.
Matrix routing and digital signal processing and distribution throughout is provided by BSS Audio. Four configurable Soundweb London BLU-80 signal processors, four BLU-32 I/O expanders and two BLU-16 stand-alone devices function under the master control of a Crestron CP2E and PRO2 Ethernet based environmental management system.
Markus Schneidersmann said: “This decision to use BSS Audio equipment was taken with future expansion in mind, allowing us to provide CobraNet digital transmission over Ethernet. With Soundweb London we are now CobraNet-ready and the next phase will be the ability to use the matrix to route a show from the Event Centre up to the first floor.” While one of the ground floor switches will provide access to all the devices on the Sparkasse network, at present only one or two source signals can be routed.
The Event Centre, which can accommodate up to 300 people, consumed nearly 50% of the overall technology budget. This auditorium is equipped with a stage and big screen projector, and has scope for a PA system and full production lighting. The bank will host live entertainment shows and other events — such as relaying premium football matches on the big screen.
For live events (such as small rock concerts) a portable mixing unit has been configured incorporating a 24-channel Soundcraft GB8 mixing console, with full signal distribution. Processing devices include three BSS Audio DPR-402 dual compressors, three DPR 504 four-channel noise gates and an FCS-960 dual graphic equaliser as well as a Lexicon PCM-81 FX unit, all controlling a ribbon driver PA system.
In total there are six fixed 19 inch equipment racks and plug-in points in the Event area and three portable trolleys (including mobile projectors) in the training area. The main distribution hub is in the conference room on the fourth floor, where a 65-inch plasma screen and two fully-equipped 19-inch racks are built into the specially designed room furniture.
All Soundweb London programming at Sparkasse Hagen was handled by KST-Moschkau and the two-day Soundweb London training programming was supervised by Stefan Beck from Harman Pro’s German distributors, Audio Pro, which supplied all the BSS Audio, Soundcraft and Lexicon equipment.
Summarising, Markus Schneidersmann says: “The new banking complex is brilliant — the customer hall is like a marketplace, surrounded by shops and restaurants as well as cash machines.”
He praised the overall development team, in particular general contractors, ABB who had enlisted KST-Moschkau. “It was pleasure to be working directly for, and alongside ABB because their project managers Uwe Wolf and Andreas Hantschke were entirely familiar with the technology. The same goes for the technical planner, Klaus auf der Springe from consultants THS Consulting — who had knowledge not only of audio, video and multimedia technology but also over the whole range of electro-technical equipment.”
Conference and multimedia facilities is one of three core business interests of KST-Moschkau, founded in 1986. In addition they have wide experience in providing commercial public address intercoms and security systems, while another of their media divisions also specialises in broadcast video (providing complete cutting-edge broadcast solutions for many of the leading German television stations).
In picture: Sparkassen at night, the Events Centre and one of the conference rooms.
13th November 2006
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