ICC Sydney: iccsydney.com.au

AV Asia Pacific: AV and IT is converging from a technical and practical point of view. How is ICC Sydney addressing this when it comes to delivering AV services? For example, are certain traditional IT/AV boundaries being blurred?

Brian Nash: In an unprecedented move, ICC Sydney has combined its ICT and AV departments to deliver a frictionless digital experience for clients. We have created a single platform from which to manage all digital elements across the precinct, allowing full control of digital signage, event recording, and broadcast capture and online streaming of events.

This includes the ability to stream sound and video via a sitewide audio and IPTV network that incorporates presentation and broadcast AV across a consistent network.

AV Asia Pacific: How will greater levels of AV integration impact the client and attendee experience?

Brian Nash: ICC Sydney’s integrated approach has enabled us to implement a leading monitoring and reporting system to track performance and provide real-time insights.

Every connected device is viewable from our single platform and this gives us access to instant feedback and vital analytics from which we can then shape and adapt digital conditions as required. ICC Sydney also has a built-in contingency plan to proactively mitigate any potential device failure — a level of planning that is rare in convention centres.

AV Asia Pacific: What are the advantages of a ‘fresh start’ when it comes to delivering world class AV at ICC Sydney?

Brian Nash: The main advantage to creating something from the ground-up has been our ability to create a purpose-built digital venue which not only supports the needs of today, but truly has the capability to flex and adapt for decades to come across all types of events, big and small.

ICC Sydney has been built on a 10GB optical fibre backbone, so unlike other venues, we have been able to hardwire a high calibre and functional IT network into every room. Here, every hireable space, including all formal meeting rooms and theatres, has also been 3D modelled for acoustic performance, with architectural finishing specified around the AV requirements of the area.

All formal meeting spaces are integrated with the venue’s AV system too, and pre-configured with optimal environmental ambiance, including lighting control.

Another benefit of starting fresh has been the freedom to really raise the bar in terms of industry standards. We’ve been able to undertake a rigorous amount of research and coordinate a large scale ‘Technical Cabling Infrastructure’ throughout the precinct between key operating and control areas. Input from several production companies and television networks has been taken into consideration for this to ensure we can bump in and out different events without delay.

All switching and processing equipment for ICC Sydney is based around a centralised rack room, situated locally to each cluster of meeting rooms. This would have been difficult to implement in an existing structure, and not only frees up vital space within the rooms but also allows the venue to easily introduce additional layers of AV over time.

The entire venue design caters to the changing architecture of meetings and events, and is supported by world leading technical and production facilities that are scalable, flexible, and upgradable. We can now constantly evolve and innovate, supporting our clients with bespoke solutions for years to come.