The United Nations’ Africa Hall stands proud as a symbol of the region. Reece Webb explores this Inavation Awards winning project.
Located in the heart of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Africa Hall stands proudly as a symbol of unity and progress on the African continent. Situated within the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) compound, this historic venue was originally opened by Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie in 1961 and has played host to many historic meetings and decisions made by African heads of state, including the Charter of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).
As a beacon of unity and progress, the Africa Hall required a complete refurbishment to preserve and renew the values it represents for the future. Dubbed the Africa Hall Renovation Project, the Hall required not just remodelling but a substantial AV and broadcasting rework worthy of world class events, conferences, and summits.
Enter Telmaco, a systems integrator with a large number of prestigious projects under its belt. Telmaco was tasked with design verification, supply, installation, testing, commissioning and defect rectification of the new systems. Technology was installed facility-wide across the main hall, supporting areas and rooms, as well as the venue’s permanent exhibition space.
Vassilis Kyriazis, general director, Telmaco, explains: “This is one of our largest projects to date. There was a tender issued based on the Australian architect’s and the AV consultant’s specifications. Based on that, we provided the equipment and had to navigate very strict procedures throughout.”
Starting in the main hall, the crown jewel of the facility, Telmaco supplied a modern conference and interpretation system from Taiden, installing 112 delegate multimedia units with name plates for each delegate seat in the hall. Seven chairman multimedia units with name plates were installed for the seven seats on the stage presidency table, with an additional chairman multimedia unit installed for the conference administrator.
Telmaco supplied 347 listening stations and 13 interpretation consoles which were installed in six interpretation booths. Each interpreter has access to an external 24-in display and selector to select between camera and document images.
Heart of democracy
The centrepiece of the main hall can be found in its curved LED videowall, consisting of Barco TruePix technology with a 1.9mm pixel pitch.
The videowall measures 11m x 2m, composed of 18 x 6 cabinets for a seamless, curved finish. The videowall is used for a range of purposes within the room, displaying camera feeds from within the room, as well as document display, conference voting results, TV channels via IPTV, graphics from a dedicated PC and video conference images or content from any device on the AV network. To facilitate seamless switching between sources, Telmaco programmed a series of presets which can be selected from the control automation system touchpanels, simplifying the process for slick and easy transitions between sources.
Barco Infipix LED control is used to provide image processing, creating a digital canvas of 5760 x 1080 pixels. The wall itself is driven from a Ross Carbonite video switcher, featuring 24 inputs, 14 outputs and four multiviewer outputs.
Lighting also plays a key role in this space, with four Claypaky LED Arolla Profile HP robotic lights mounted on the hall’s ceiling grid to bring dynamic lighting to the stage area. The lighting system is controlled via a lighting console in the main control room, with a DMX gateway for control via a central automation system.
For complete coverage around the hall, Telmaco supplied six camera systems, consisting of Grass Valley C98 broadcast cameras equipped with Fujinon X20 zoom lenses and a Ross 600PT robotic head for pan and tilt functionality. Five cameras are installed in the balcony, with an extra camera installed above the LED wall facing the delegates, ensuring complete coverage of all delegates and participants in the room. A dedicated OCP-400 remote control is also available for each camera, mounted on the desk of the second level control room.
The cameras can be used for videoconferencing, streaming or broadcasting, and have already been deployed for the room’s inauguration for both videoconferencing and UN Web TV coverage.
Telmaco went the extra mile to ensure that automatic switching of cameras takes place once a microphone is active, offering three unique shots which are prepared for each microphone position in the room. Based on the availability of the camera, the system will switch to the selected camera when needed, transitioning seamlessly with minimal user input.
An IPTV and digital signage system in the main hall provides TV and video distribution functionality to screens in this space, consisting of a Vitec central server and satellite/RF IP gateways, HDMI encoders, decoders and soft clients hosted on Samsung room booking screens.
To get a crystal-clear impression of how the audio system would operate in this refurbished environment, Telmaco carried out an EASE simulation, testing multiple speaker systems. After the simulations, Telmaco specified Fohhn loudspeakers, with models installed to the left and right of the LED wall, and with three subwoofers under the stage floor.
The speakers are tuned via software to precisely match the simulation’s planning, with each control room equipped with a Biamp Tesira Server-IO audio DSP to interconnect and process audio sources, distributing them to various destinations around the facility. The DSP allows for both analogue and Dante signals to be sent, based on individual requirements.
Telmaco faced acoustic challenges in the main hall following the EASE calculation, discovering issues with the hall’s acoustics which could not be accounted for during the simulation process.
Kyriazis says: “When we arrived for the commissioning process, the acoustics in the hall were not good, and we had difficulty tuning the system. Our sound engineer discovered that the sound absorption material wasn’t behaving as it should, so I took a screwdriver and found that we were hitting wood instead of sound absorbing foam. The sound absorption material had been used as insulation instead, causing reverberations in the room. This had happened in the ceiling and the walls, so we made changes to the design to accommodate for this and corrected the acoustics to the best of our ability.”
Democratic distribution
The facility’s video and audio distribution system is based on Extron NAV AVoIP technology, using a dedicated network to facilitate broadcast LAN. Telmaco supplied joinery HDMI connection plates, some of which are equipped with analogue audio, for connecting laptops and other equipment. Routing is managed through a control system touchpanel.
For IPTV, Telmaco supplied nine 55-in screens, with two in the main entrance, one in the delegates bar, two in the media lounge, a screen each in meeting rooms one and two, as well as two in the conference administration area. Telmaco also provided eight 13-in room booking screens, located in the facility’s meeting rooms and interpreter booths.
An IP-based public address and BGM system is in place, consisting of a Bosch Praesensa setup that uses 78 speakers divided into various zones throughout the facility’s levels. This is supported by a wireless intercom system that enables communication between the facility’s control rooms and mobile technicians for coordination during meetings, harnessing a ClearCom central unit with two call stations, six wireless access points at various positions for signal coverage and seven beltpacks and headsets for use by the facility’s technicians.
Moving into the facility’s meeting rooms, Africa Hall boasts three small meeting rooms: The North-West, South-West, and VIP rooms. Each space is equipped with a 75-in Cisco board, offering videoconferencing functionality and general AV functionality, as well as HDMI connectivity on the desks and wireless presentation.
Cisco touchpanels enable room automation, while a hearing augmentation system and IPTV screens enhance accessibility and flexibility across the spaces.
For overall automation control, Africa Hall relies on an Extron control system throughout the venue, with four 10-in Extron touchpanels and two 24-in HP touchscreens. All AV and third-party systems operate via KNX, including the house lights and blinds.
Projecting power
Like many UN buildings, Africa Hall features a permanent exhibition area, located on the ground floor of the building. This space is divided into three unique themes, requiring a different approach to storytelling in each area. To achieve this, Telmaco installed 11 Barco G62 projectors with 90-degree ultra-short-throw lenses across the exhibition, projecting images in an array of formats and types tailored to each area.
The projection system can operate in standalone mode, deliver blended or warped images across multiple projectors, and provide rear projection using a Barco RigiFlex high-contrast screen. This system was pushed to its limits in an immersive area, which required projections to cover both the walls and floor.
Digital displays form an essential part of the exhibition area, with Samsung displays installed in the walls or encased inside special joinery created by the Africa Hall’s architects. These displays are loaded with HTML content which allows visitors to interact with the exhibits, with plans in place to develop coordinated content between the touch screens and larger projection surfaces in the future.
A key standout, and natural draw in this space, is a transparent 2 x 2 glass OLED videowall from Planar, consisting of four 55-in FHD displays installed in portrait mode. This videowall presented Telmaco with special construction requirements that called for delicate treatment and a very precise fit during installation due to the sensitivity of the material.
For audio, the exhibition area is equipped similarly to the main hall, with a Biamp I/O server which manages analogue and Dante audio streams. Dataton servers are used to output Dante audio, while BrightSign players output analogue audio which is converted to Dante using Audinate analogue to Dante converters. Biamp Voltera A 300.4 amplifiers are also used, offering four channels of audio. Additionally, Dataton Watchpax30 content playback servers are used for multi-channel playback and geometry correction in this space, providing show control, image blending, warping/distortion correction, Dante audio, and integration with the control system for scenario and timeline recall.
For standalone displays and projections, Telmaco provided BrightSign XC2055 players, controlled by dedicated software for content upload and device management. Each projected image or display features its own sound focusing speakers, using SoundTube FP6030-II with motion sensors for automatic audio start/mute and can be used for other interactions with the automation system.
Throughout this area, an Extron automation system consisting of a central processor, touch screen and digital I/O expansion units enable trigger sensing from the speakers’ motion sensors. When a visitor passes under a speaker, the included motion sensor will trigger the automation system to perform specific actions such as volume management and show control.
Finally, for added inclusivity, Telmaco supplied a Televic guiding and hearing automation system, with wireless access points installed. This system includes microphone transmitters and receivers with headphones for visitors. The wireless receivers include induction loops for visitors to maximise inclusivity for hard of hearing visitors.
On a project of this size, challenges were inevitable. Telmaco dealt with extensive power supply problems that slowed the commissioning phase. “The biggest challenge for us came down to the power on site,”explains Kyriazis. “There were power cuts during the commissioning phase almost every day which caused us to lose our configurations while we were commissioning. This was a huge problem for us that we had to work our way through.
“A few months before the inauguration, a decision was taken to change the network infrastructure, which was beyond our scope on this project. We had agreed on the pre-existing infrastructure as we had AVoIP and Dante audio, but we were told that the facility was moving to a new Cisco-based SMPTE 2110 infrastructure, which would require an additional six months to finish. Fortunately, the implementation was delayed until after the inauguration.”
Telmaco ultimately delivered this expansive project on time and on budget, with the Africa Hall’s inauguration taking place on October 21, 2024. The hall was officially opened by UN secretary general Antonio Gutterrez, watched by thousands of people via online platforms. Telmaco played a central part in a well-oiled, international machine, working alongside consultants from Australia, with a UAE-based main contractor and the United Nations’ HQ in New York playing a part in the approval process.
“The overall integration is a personal point of pride for me,” says Kyriazis, “all achieved through our central control system which blends everything together and creates a central control point for non-technical users. All the systems were integrated into one through the control system and this was the key to success on this project.
“Africa Hall is the most historic venue in the UN compound, and we had a good collaboration with the other teams. The time difference between the international teams sometimes proved a challenge, but we managed to bring it all together successfully.”
Kit list
Audio
Biamp Tessira I/O server, Voltera A 300.4 amplifiers
Bosch Praesensa speakers, multizone power amplifiers, media player, central controller
ClearCom beltpacks, wireless access points, central unit
Fohhn line source speakers
SoundTube FP6030-II speakers
Taiden delegate multimedia units
Display
Barco RigiFlex projection screens, G62 projectors with ultra short throw lenses, Truepix LED videowall
Cisco 75-in meeting room boards
Claypaky Arolla Profile HP robotic lights
Grass Valley C98 broadcast cameras
Planar 55-in FHD transparent LED displays
Ross 600PT robotic head, Carbonite video switcher
Samsung displays, room booking screens
Control
BrightSign XC2055 players
Dataton Watchpax30 content playback servers
Extron IPCP Pro 555Q XI control devices, NAV E 101 AVoIP system
Vitec central server, HDMI encoders, decoders