Unicol: Building AV for buildings

Probably the most famous criminal court in the world is the Old Bailey, dating back to 1673. The current design was opened in 1907 but rebuilt after the Second World War. When video conference equipment was installed, Unicol was faced with mounting AV equipment into a listed building with oak panelling on all the walls and a vaulted ceiling so mounting on these surfaces was not an option.

Unicol proposed its bolt-down floor stands in modified form to place the screens where they could best be seen.

English Heritage required the installation to blend in with the surroundings with only the viewing area of the screens standing out. The most sympathetic colour was antique bronze so Unicol finished the installation, including new screen bezel covers in this colour. This enabled modern AV equipment to be successfully implemented into this iconic building.

In 1958, architect Denys Lasdun designed a new modern building for the Royal College of Physicians (RCP). Opened in 1964 this masterpiece, harmonised both old and new. Such was the modernist design the spaces created have been installer friendly. Says Ben Pain, RCP Head of AV: “Overcoming Grade I listing is not too difficult unless you are fundamentally changing the shape or character of the building. In some cases we demonstrated our interpretation of Lasdun’s design ethos. The main challenge was to install Cat 6 and fibre to join up the spaces”.

The key to these situations is to talk to the suppliers of AV equipment to discuss any mounting restrictions and where they may influence the installation. At Unicol we have almost 60 years of experience of providing this type of solution. Because of our flexible modular design and extensive custom manufacturing facilities we can provide answers in a timely manner.

Whilst the majority of AV equipment is installed into buildings already built, what would be the dream installation in a new-build? Of course, a new building has many other design criteria to think about, such as being eco and employee friendly, so it is vital to think of everything at the design stage.

Let us now look at the RCP’s latest northern flagship, the new 14-storey, 160,000 sq ft Spine building in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter. The building is used by the RCP for training and examining doctors along with event and conference facilities.

Covered in 23 million etched glass panels in a voronoi pattern, the building was designed to meet the principles established in the WELL Standard, supporting mental and physical wellbeing for staff and visitors. Adds Ben Pain: “What makes The Spine work so well is how the AV equipment sits within the IT infrastructure. All aspects of AV operation throughout the whole building is controlled from mobile apps making it very versatile and efficient”.

There are always challenges to any new installation but what is clear is that if all parties are brought together, and AV and IT are designed into a purpose-built building from scratch, then the outcome will be a resounding success.

UNICOL
Tel: +44 (0) 1865 767676
Email: sales@unicol.com
Web: https://unicol.com