We venture behind the scenes to explore how innovative design can deliver flexibility in an enlightening conversation with a leading integrator.
In December 2022 Inavate covered a detailed case study on the Oliy Majilis, the Supreme Assembly of Uzbekistan.
Tim Kridel followed up with integrator Redmouse to find out how the building was designed with flexibility at its core to support a huge range of uses and needs. He speaks with Sercan Aktas, director of integration at Redmouse.
TK: Oliy Majilis has a wide variety of spaces for working, meeting, recreation and events. Are you seeing an increase in places with such a wide variety of use cases? Is this a trend? If so, what are some of the business reasons?
SA: Recently, there has been a notable surge in the demand for mix-used spaces such as the Oliy Majilis. This trend is driven by several factors and mirrors the evolving characteristics of work and cooperation. Currently several crucial variables are contributing to this trend like Maximising Space Efficiency, Employee Well-being, Flexibility in the Modern Workplace, Hybrid Work Models, and Adaptability for Events.
It is now certain that the modern workplace is seeing a shift towards flexibility and adaptation, reflecting changes in our work practices. People are looking for more adaptable and comfortable workspaces that facilitate various work modes. Spaces that accommodate diverse purposes, collaborative gatherings and leisure activities have also the potential to boost employee satisfaction and efficiency. So, enhancing a more optimal equilibrium between job and personal life. Consequently, this results in elevated job contentment and diminished levels of stress.
Currently we see that our clients consider real estate as a significant investment and are increasingly seeking ways to optimise the functionality of their available spaces. Flexible areas, such as those found in multi-purpose buildings, provide the adaptability to accommodate a diverse range of activities and adjust to changing needs without requiring significant alterations to the building's structure.
The emergence of remote and hybrid work patterns has also underscored the need of having locations that effectively facilitate both in-person and distant collaboration. Mixed-use facilities have the ability to use technology and design in order to facilitate efficient communication and collaboration, regardless of geographical proximity.
To be able to meet all those trending needs brings businesses one step ahead of competition and this versatility can generate additional revenue streams for organisations.
TK: What are some of the technological considerations and challenges when designing AV systems for buildings like Oliy Majilis that have such a wide variety of use cases? For example, how do you design a system for a room that serves one purpose during the day and a completely different purpose in the evening? How does an IP-based system enable greater flexibility?
SA: Developing AV systems for buildings such as Oliy Majilis requires a diverse range of necessitates and careful attention to several technological factors and obstacles.
Our biggest challenge was, there was no single technology that could meet the customer expectations, so we had to combine all the technologies in the same project which was unusual especially on video distribution side. There were some rooms where the data security was the biggest concern. In those rooms Ethernet cables and even EDID communication between the sources and displays were not allowed which is essential for video transmission. For those rooms we used fibre matrix and extenders which could meet for data security but also uncompressed video transmission requirements.
Beside of the rooms where data security was the biggest concern, we used AV-over-IP solutions to transmit the video and audio between the rooms. The implementation of IP-based AV systems was also essential to provide enhanced flexibility and facilitating compatibility with various setups. These systems can be remotely operated and altered, with improved operational effectiveness.
Pro AV-over-IP solutions were chosen for these applications due to scalability, low latency and integration with Dante network. It helped us to use smaller control systems as we could integrate serial/ IR control ports of encoders and decoders to manage some devices.
Multi-purpose divisible rooms, where plenty of sources included such as 12G-SDI cameras, TV receivers etc, are equipped with modular matrix switchers and extenders. The scaling receivers helped us to use the needed features on the videowalls and call different presets from the control systems.
Additionally, using high-quality AV equipment and infrastructure guaranteed dependability and durability. By allocating resources towards durable, redundant and high-quality hardware and software, the likelihood of encountering technical malfunctions and the necessity for service needs are significantly diminished.
TK: Is it possible to future proof a building to enable additional use cases in the future? For example, maybe an enterprise wants several rooms for meetings, including video collaboration, but they also want the flexibility to repurpose those rooms a few years from now in case they need to use them for different use cases, like turning part of it into a corporate fitness centre.
SA: Oliy Majilis provides full facilities for meetings with delegations, press conferences and media work. It has been designed to fulfil the needs of the delegations 24/7. The complex has meeting rooms, restaurants, delegate rooms, medical centres, a library, a full scale gym, resting and sleeping areas, ballrooms, multi-purpose rooms and a SPA centre. On the top of that there is the main auditorium where the main plenary sessions take place. All areas are designed future-proof by allowing for extra usage scenarios and modular design.
The areas are prioritised with modularity and ensured that the design of AV systems and infrastructure allows convenient reconfiguration when needed. All areas can be easily adjusted to various space configurations.
Also acoustic treatments and materials that are suitable for a range of scenarios, including both low-noise meetings and high-energy events are implemented. This can mitigate sound interference and establish a versatile acoustic environment.
Control systems are also designed for transitions between various room configurations. These systems have the capability to control AV equipment and versatile peripheral equipment if needed in the future. This allows easy customisation of the environment to suit unique future needs. The design also streamlines the user experience and diminishes the requirement for technical proficiency. Modular AV processors and matrix switchers are also highly beneficial due to their ability to easily adjust to various room specifications.
Network infrastructure also have the capacity to manage all required data traffic. An efficient network topology is designed for crucial AV usage needs for future technological advancements.
You can read the Oliy Majilis case study here.