Overview

30 St Mary Axe (known previously as the Swiss Re Building), informally known as The Gherkin, is a commercial skyscraper in the City of London’s primary financial district. It provides highly flexible spaces and outstanding views of London. It is an iconic part of the of the London skyline with its blue cigar-like shape providing a sharp contrast as it rises above familiar sights such as Tower Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral.

The Swiss Re Group is one of the world’s leading providers of reinsurance, insurance and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer, working to make the world more resilient. The aim of the Swiss Re Group is to enable society to thrive and progress, creating new opportunities and solutions for its clients.

Challenge

The client required a variety of technologies including video conferencing, video streaming, audio distribution and complex control in a multitude of varying spaces on the 9th floor of the building. These technologies were to be deployed to create bespoke scalable collaboration and presentation spaces with simple functionality for the end user.

Exterity, Biamp, Bowers & Wilkins, Monitor Audio, Green Hippo, Shure, AKG, Clock, Televic, Cloud, AMX, Extron, Barco, Panasonic & NEC provided the technologies that handled digital signage, video conferencing, presentations, streaming, room scheduling and room control in all meeting rooms, seminar spaces and public areas.

Project

One of the largest challenges of the project was the conference space; the space is a dual ended room with a dividing wall encircled with perimeter glazing.

The client’s vision was to have a space that was truly versatile in what it could deliver to the user; One that could even be divided to provide even greater scope for facilitating multiple events simultaneously.

Solution

C Wing
  • Dual Projection at primary end and Single Projection the secondary end. The Projection is done directly onto white walls.
  • The 2 projectors at the primary end are controlled using a seamless switching video scaler for soft edge blending and image layering.
  • 2 x Repeater screen connection points are provided for screens on trolleys to be positioned, 1 on either side of the space. The system is fully matrixed, allowing either projection content to be displayed on either repeater screen and any of the inputs from either end can be displayed at corresponding or opposite end of the space. The repeater points can also be available for primary presentation points when the room is in divided scenario.
  • Multiple wired input positions (5 in the Primary end and 4 in the secondary end of the space) are supplied for multiformat connectivity to positioned furniture.
  • Click Share technology is provided for wireless connectivity of sources.
  • Wireless Lapel and Handheld mics are used for voice capture and reinforcement within the space and there will be the ability to integrate a wireless delegate microphone system.
  • Audio will consist of front facing program audio at the primary end with ceiling speaker reinforcement.
  • The Audio will be Zoned and fully matrixed and half of the ceiling speakers will service the secondary end when in separated mode.
  • All inputs and 3 cameras are matrixed to the Video Conferencing system for use as VC/Lecture capture purposes in large seminars. 2 x cameras are positioned on the display wall of the main presentation end and 1 x facing the lecturer (this one will be on a mechanical lift mechanism to extend it to a desired filming height).
  • All equipment, including the lighting and blinds will be controlled using a touch panel control system consisting of 10″ customised interface panel.
  • DMX Lighting Bars will be installed in the ceiling and floor for washing the walls with colour changeable LED lighting.
  • Profile/Spot-light LED’s with DMX Control will also be used for illuminating the presentation areas
D Wing
  • A further room is provided to be used as both an independent seminar space and an overflow room to cater for larger audiences.
  • The room is a Single Projection directly onto a white wall, but has the ability to divide to have an audio only area.
  • 2 x Repeater screen connection points are installed for screens on trolleys to be positioned, 1 on either side of the space. These points are available for primary presentation points when the room is in divided scenario.
  • Multiple wired input positions (4 x) are supplied for multiformat connectivity to positioned furniture.
  • Click Share technology is provided for wireless connectivity of sources.
  • Wireless Lapel and Handheld mics are used for voice capture and reinforcement within the space and there will be the ability to integrate a wireless delegate microphone system.
  • Audio will consist of front facing program audio at the primary end with ceiling speaker reinforcement.
  • The Audio will be Zoned and fully matrixed and half of the ceiling speakers will service the secondary end when in separated mode.
  • All equipment, including the lighting and blinds will be controlled using a touch panel control system consisting of 10″ customised interface panel.
  • DMX Lighting Bars will be installed in the ceiling and floor for washing the walls with colour changeable LED lighting.
  • Profile/Spot light LED’s with DMX Control will also be used for illuminating the presentation areas
The Boardroom

The Boardroom is a more formal setup, with Dual 86” Displays, Dual Camera VC with Speaker Track, Wall & Ceiling Speakers & Gooseneck Table microphones, Full room control & Switching from AMX.

Dual Screen Cisco Video Conferencing system with dual speaker tracking camera. Table microphones are supplied for vocal capture when using the audio or video conferencing systems. Audio consists of front facing program audio with ceiling speaker reinforcement. The meeting table is equipped with laptop wired connectivity. All presentation points are also able to be shared with the Far end whilst on a video call. All equipment, including the lighting is controlled using a touch panel control system consisting of 10″ customised interface panel. Centralised equipment is housed in a rack inside the AV Cupboard behind the displays.

Meeting Rooms / Telepresence Rooms
  • The Telepresence rooms are all in one simple Dual Screen & Camera Video Conference room using the proprietary Touch Screen for control.
  • Multiple other rooms are simple presentation spaces with up to 75” Commercial Displays set to wake on connection of a device and sleep on disconnection, elimination the requirement for any additional equipment.

Gallery

Results

The end result of this unique space is a sleek modern design consisting of multiple huddle spaces, conference rooms and a large boardroom, as well as seminar overflow space, all integrated with video conferencing, video streaming, and cutting-edge control systems.

In coordination with their new digital network, the AVC installation allows Swiss Re’s staff to collaborate with their counterparts in Switzerland and around the globe with ease. In order to ensure the system operates at its optimum ability, a service contract with AVC were included as part of the installation completion.

You can visit Swiss Re online here: Visit Swiss Re

Contact us to discuss your AV Project

Industry: corporate
Location: 30 St Mary Axe, London
Scope: Dual ended conference room with a dividing wall with an over-flow seminar space – large boardroom – 2 large meeting rooms & 6 medium meeting rooms

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