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Soundcraft and BSS Control Heart of Europe's Biggest Exhibition Complex
In just over two years, out of a huge abandoned industrial area that for many decades was occupied by a refinery, Fiera Milano has built a totally avant-garde exhibition complex that combines record-breaking dimensions and exceptionally flexible use with the highest technological equipment standards.
With its 345,000 gross square metres of undercover exhibition area (plus 60,000 sq. metres outdoors), eight huge halls almost totally free of columns, 74 conference rooms, 84 refreshment spots, and parking for 10,000 vehicles plus another 10,000 planned, the new Fiera Milano is the largest complex in Europe and sets a new world standard for the exhibition sector.
A nucleus of nine conference rooms make up the Stella Polare Conference Center, together with the newly-opened Auditorium, designed by the architect Speroni. The beating heart of the Fiera Milano, this lavishly appointed shell-shaped space provides definitive audio technology management, from local control of all audio variables by a 40-channel Soundcraft MH3 audio console to full network control of the Conference Centre's audio facilites via BSS Audio Prosys PS-8810CN DSP system with CobraNet.
The strong point of the Fiera Milano Auditorium is its extraordinary versatility. Depending on requirements, it can be used as a congress hall (seating 1,000, 750, or 350), or as a Dolby-certified cinema, thanks to a disappearing 45 sq. metre screen; an auditorium for classical music concerts or theatre; a unique and large space for events, fashion shows, or gala dinners, accommodated by moving the seats, which are all removable, or a stage for fashion shows.
The theatre is elegantly furnished with 1,008 leather seats in a specially created shade of green, with solid oak flooring, walls, ceilings and stage. The room is totally soundproof with exceptional acoustics, designed by consultants Müller-BBM from Munich. Via the BSS Audio network, it is serviced by seven simultaneous translation booths, and an audiovisual editing booth equipped for post-production from which it is possible to send live broadcast feeds.
In the Auditorium's sizeable control room, a Soundcraft MH3 console is used to manage live audio requirements. Configured with 40 channels and redundant power supply, the desk is large enough to handle live music concerts as well as corporate presentations. All 40 inputs are split by a BSS MSR-604-II 4-channel active splitter.
The Stella Polare Center uses BSS ProSys PS-8810CN devices to network the different conference rooms, their control rooms, the seven translation booths and the Auditorium. Simple control via PC allows the Auditorium, and all nine conference rooms, to share the booths, which are located about 1 kilometre away, connected by fibre-optic and CAT6 cables. The network extends up several floors of the Fiera Milano building, to the office of technological systems manager Paolo Negri, who can sit at his desk and mix a show in the Auditorium! "Our goal is total connectivity," he says.
In the Auditorium control room are two BSS Audio Soundweb London BLU-80 devices. Configured with eight inputs and eight outputs to handle the Dolby system for the Auditorium's cinema application, the Soundweb also interfaces the Soundcraft MH3 to the Crown amplifiers, which power a JBL surround-sound system. With one click on the PC, the Soundweb can configure the Auditorium's facilities to cinema mode, or as a lecture hall or concert venue, all with perfect equalisation. Soundweb is also able to configure the Auditorium into nine separate zones with independent audio control in each.
In picture: Soundcraft MH3 and BSS process control in action.
5th January 2007
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