Text:/ Derek Powell
Photos:/ Pro AV Solutions QLD

PLANNING

As the rooms became more complex, the full extent of Pro AV Solutions’ and Suncorp’s planning would start to become obvious – so let’s spend a moment to dive a little deeper.

“A 16P room has a 98-inch display as well as seven MXA A310 mics mounted into the table, with HDBaseT connections from the table to the display,” Ty explained. “There is also a Microsoft 85-inch Surface Hub on the side wall with a capture camera and a ceiling mic for that as well. So, the room really steps up to match the different use cases. As well, the bigger rooms have their own complexities due to the architecture. 16P rooms, for instance, are essentially circular rooms. So, there’s a lot of kit mounted behind the 98-inch displays. You’ve got a Cisco Webex Pro, DSPs; and you’ve got an Extron SW2 switcher, because there is HDMI from the main display and the Surface Hub.”

“We had a full-time concierge coming on during the project so the servicing became critical to how we design things. All of that gear mounted behind displays needed to be serviceable. The last thing you want to do is send in three guys to pull a 98-inch display off a wall just to get at a DSP or reboot a Codec.

“The rooms are curved so you can’t just put the gear on a pull-out tray – there’s a joinery piece underneath the display. So, we mounted everything to a plate that’s custom designed by our engineering team. The plate itself is on an electric ram so the service team can come in, connect the controller behind the display, press a button and the plate rises behind the display, allowing us to reach it from a small platform ladder. That was all designed specifically for the project. Even in the 55-inch display rooms, where there are perhaps only two to three devices behind there, we created special plates that sit over the top of the LL22b Sanus brackets. All the gear was mounted onto those plates in our workshop, fully staged, and set up, allowing us to mount the bracket, drop the plate onto the bracket, connect it up and commission it. There’s probably more work off site than there was on site.”

GROUND WORK

The planning work was meticulous and proof of concept work began in the client’s old premises, as Ty revealed: “Before the move, we started by building proof of concept rooms in Suncorp’s existing HQ building at 133 Albert Street. We built a 16P room and a 6P room. These were like-for-like models of what was going into 80 Ann Street: same joinery, same tables, same wall structure – yes, including the curved walls and the raised floor, just like the rooms in 80 Ann Street. So, before we actually deployed these rooms, we had working concept rooms in another building and Suncorp could bring through staff from different business units. The staff were getting to use the microphones; they were getting to use the displays; they were getting the feel of the UI, even down to the booking systems.

“So, we were really lucky to have all this preliminary work under our belt. We weren’t powering up the first floor and going, ‘there you go guys, use it and let us know what you think…’. They’d actually already used these rooms.”

TECHNICAL FIRSTS

There were a number of technical firsts for Pro AV Solutions QLD in this project, including a world first deployment of Extron VCAs (Virtual Control Appliance) and GVE (Global Viewer Enterprise). Plus, Australia’s first 9m-wide, 0.7mm pixel pitch touch-enabled LED display, as well as ongoing AV managed service, extending from the new headquarters to all Suncorp ANZ sites.

Ty was quick to give credit to the Suncorp specialists who had been working on the project for the best part of two years before Pro AV Solutions was even engaged. “They had a couple of solutions architects who really knew their stuff,” Ty remarked. “They’d spent quite a lot of time doing proof of concept on the gear and the systems. They had a really clear vision of what they wanted and how they needed it to touch and feel.”

For his part, Suncorp Solution Architect Drew Oyston was swift to tell the AVIA’s Judging Panel how smoothly the process had evolved.

“As most clients do during these large projects, requirements changed during delivery,” he wrote. “But Pro AV was able to adapt quickly. It almost seemed easy for them and there were a few challenges. Even with the changes, the solution integrates seamlessly and it’s intuitive for users. If users can interact with the technology without a guide, that’s objective delivered. So, the true measure of this was the great feedback we received from employees. To have people using the technology on the first day in the office without any instructions, I think the brief was met very well. Pro AV’s dedication to excel shone bright during this project.”