UK - The PLASA Awards for Innovation & Sustainability 2015 and the Gottelier Award, sponsored by Lighting&Sound International, were presented at the PLASA Show at London's ExCeL yesterday evening.

This year, 31 products were nominated for the Awards for Innovation & Sustainability, with eight awards presented, including a final Gold Award for Innovation.

The winners had to satisfy the judges that they demonstrate a new style of thinking, that they improve technical practice, have introduced new technologies, materials or techniques, that they feature patents or unique intellectual property, offer a new commercial advantage, or improve safety.

This year's Gottelier Award winner was David Cunningham, an early pioneer of computer lighting systems who developed a number of landmark products for Strand during the 1970s and 80s, including the Multi-Q memory lighting system, the Mi

Italy - SH Acoustics worked with Thinc Design to deliver an acoustically sophisticated, multi-zone design for the USA Pavilion at the latest world's fair.

In such a complex installation, "we knew that Symetrix SymNet Radius DSPs would be reliable and flexible - in short, one less thing for us to worry about." These are the thoughts of Steve Haas, president and principal consultant of Milford, CT-based SH Acoustics, which was recently enlisted by NYC-based exhibition design firm Thinc Design to perfect the demanding audio installation for the USA Pavilion at Expo Milano.

The first world's fair since 2012, Expo Milano is taking place in Italy from May until 31 October 2015. Centred around the theme of Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life, the event is aimed at stimulating discussion about sustainable developments among the 140-plus participating nations. For its

USA - Charcoalblue's managing partner Andy Hayles and his team of theatre and acoustic consultants attended the opening of New York's St Ann's Warehouse last week. The official launch of the $31.6 million development of the waterfront theatre situated under the famous Brooklyn Bridge follows a transformation of the derelict Tobacco Warehouse by Marvel Architects with theatre, acoustics and architectural lighting consultancy by Charcoalblue.

The new St Ann's Warehouse is a 25,000sq.ft site housing two flexible performance spaces. Firstly, a 10,000sq.ft versatile theatre space, with capacity for 300-800 people, to accommodate St. Ann's core theatre and music programming, large-scale festivals, and special community milestone events. Secondly, a 1000sq.ft multi-use studio, dedicated to local artists and community groups, to especially suit intimate, smaller scale programmes and eve

UK - Technical production expert, Hawthorn's install team has completed the installation of a new house light system for the Hawth Theatre in Crawley.

The specialist permanent installation team was tasked to replace over 200 tungsten fittings with the latest ArcSystem fittings from GDS; a once in a lifetime opportunity to upgrade the quality of the house lights at Hawth Theatre and reduce the ongoing maintenance and lamp replacement costs.

Crucially, the new fittings also deliver a reduction in electrical running costs. A mixture of Arch System MR16, Pro-Fixture 1 cell and Pro Cell 4 were used along with the new 24v Arc Lamps. Kev Sanderson, team leader at Hawthorn, and his expert team had a tight 10 day window to complete the changeover, but completed the task ahead of schedule.

Quentin Whitaker, the Hawth's technical manager, commented, "I am extremely happy with the

UK - Theatre Projects has appointed theatre consultant and international auditorium acoustic designer Rob Harris as a key consultant.

The move marks a significant strengthening of Theatre Projects' acoustic and theatre design team, as the company embarks on a number of high profile design projects worldwide.

Harris's impressive 35-year career as an acoustics specialist has seen him amass a plethora of prestigious design credits for cherished performing arts buildings including: Bridgewater Hall, Manchester; City Recital Hall, Sydney; Kilden konsertsal, Kristiansand; Bord Gâis Energy Theatre, Dublin and Kings Place, London.

Specifically, Harris is renowned for his acoustic design for some of the world's most iconic opera houses. These include collaborations with TP on both Glyndebourne Opera House and Oslo Opera House. In addition he has led on the Copenhagen Opera House, t

USA - Revamping major sports facilities and bringing them up-to-date now almost invariably involves a comprehensive review of the audio processing configuration so that it can cope with both current and future requirements. Providing the spring training home of Major League Baseball's Oakland Athletics since earlier this year, the Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona, is no exception - and as the result of its latest upgrade, now features an extensive Symetrix DSP infrastructure.

Minneapolis, MN-based Parsons Technologies systems engineer Mark Schultz, "The main objectives were to provide a quality audio upgrade and stay within the budget of Oakland Athletics. In terms of processing, we also needed to select equipment that would complement and support the Dante network being implemented throughout the site. After evaluating several possible scenarios, we determined that using t

USA - The new Gannon Recreation and Wellness Centre features nearly 52,000sq.ft of subdivided indoor space for year-round athletic, recreation and fitness activities, and is equipped with loudspeaker systems drawn from the catalogue of D.A.S. Audio.

Erie, PA-based Grisé Audio Visual Center, Inc., a design / build AV integration firm that also has a live events division, was contracted to design and install the new sound system at The Gannon Recreation and Wellness Centre. Greg Hardner, the company's sales & production manager, designed the sound reinforcement system, which included 69 D.A.S. Audio CL-6TB ceiling speakers, 22 Factor 8T loudspeakers, and 10 Arco 4T loudspeakers. He discussed the project and his fondness for D.A.S. Audio.

"The decision to install a sound system throughout the facility was approved with only six weeks of construction remaining before t

Greece - 360 event agency from Greece looked no further than Austrian engineering experts AV Stumpfl to meet its requirement for a 4m high by 30m wide Curve screen for presentations at an international conference of a Fortune 500 client that was held in Athens and attended by 500 participants from 28 countries.

"We turned to AV Stumpfl as the number one company to handle a project of this scale," explains Apostolos Papadopoulos, managing director at 360 event agency.

For this project, the AV Stumpfl Curve screen needed to be incorporated into futuristic architecture and design of the presentation. The screen was made to measure for its application and delivered ahead of schedule. 360 event agency integrated with five Barco HDX-W20 high-definition projectors and content was edge-blended onto the screen alongside state-of-the-art acoustic and video conferencing technol

Georgia - Funktion-One specialist, Blue Box London, has completed a nightclub installation in Georgia. The company, which played an important role in the loudspeaker manufacturer's introduction to Ibiza at the beginning of the millennia, has continued its pioneering ways by exploring some new territories in recent years. Its latest project - Bassiani - sees the first ever Funktion-One Dance Stack installation in Georgia.

The main room is home to two towering Funktion-One DS4 Dance Stacks. The DS4 configuration features two F221 21in bass enclosures at the base, two DS15 speakers for punchy upper bass and low-mid frequencies, and two DS210 loudspeaker enclosures, featuring dual axhead-loaded 10" mid-high drivers and dual 1.4" compression drivers.

Two Funktion-One Evo 6SHs - the skeletal addition to the new Evolution 6 range - have been deployed for infill. Amplificati

UK - Converted and maintained by a devoted team of volunteers comprising ex-BBC technicians, local builders and theatre enthusiasts, the Playhouse Theatre Whitstable is a performance venue suitable for a wide range of live entertainment. The theatre plays host to a variety of shows new and old and is home to drama group, the Lindley Players who are the owners and operators of the venue.

The hard work carried out by volunteers and members over many years has converted what was once the United Reform Church into the modern performance venue that is the Playhouse Theatre Whitstable today. The conversion work has involved building a stage, removing the balcony from the side walls, installing a stepped auditorium floor, building a sound and lighting control room in the balcony and installing additional seating. The lower floor has been converted into a bar, club room and dressing roo

USA - Atlanta's Alliance Theatre recently revealed the final renderings for a renovation that will completely transform its facilities. The project, which will begin in the summer of 2017, will help the Tony Award-winning theatre company produce ambitious works, better engage with the surrounding community, and provide audiences with more dynamic and comfortable theatre-going experiences.

The transformation, led by Trahan Architects in collaboration with Theatre Projects (theatre designer and planner) and Talaske (acoustician), will include a complete overhaul of the Alliance Stage, their 770-seat mainstage theatre. Among dozens of improvements and additions, the overhaul will entail re-seating the room to pull the audience closer to the stage for a more intimate experience, new staircases and terraces for better audience circulation, a new audio system, upgrades to LED lighting

Sweden - Långbro Värdshus is a top restaurant located just outside Stockholm. Situated in an architectural and historically significant villa, it is run by the renowned Swedish TV chef and author Fredrik Eriksson. In line with its quest for excellence, the restaurant recently upgraded its audio system and Inexo, a local custom installer, chose Genelec's 4000 Series loudspeakers for their clarity of sound and ease of installation for the new system.

The building has a traditional interior which has now been completely renovated. Fredrik has been running Långbro Värdshus since 2005 and is an award-winning chef and restaurateur, he is an important ambassador both for Sweden and Swedish food and is primarily known for being a celebrity TV chef and the author of several books.

The new interior design features a quiet and understated aesthetic that focuses on natural materials a

Italy - The Mon Amour nightclub in Rimini combines a high quality dining experience with late night DJ sets and live music by top Italian artists. A recent audio upgrade saw Mon Amour added to the long list of Italian venues which trust Yamaha products to deliver high class entertainment to their customers.

The upgrade was carried out by Promo SRL of Alba Adriatica, which has been installing Yamaha equipment in prestigious projects for eight years.

The company installed four Installation Series IF3115 three-way, UniPhase loudspeakers to cover the dining area. Featuring a 15" low-frequency driver, eight-inch midrange driver and three-inch HF compression driver, the IF3115 can deliver a calculated continuous SPL of 127dB, with exceptional clarity. This makes it suitable for nightclubs where seamless sound is required between the dance floor and surrounding areas.

In addit

Australia - Since its inception seven years ago, Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House (SOH) has always pushed the boundaries, whether in performance style, musical content, or the support structures that underpin it. So when Jeremy Christian, head of sound and AV at the SOH suggested to the festival curator Ben Marshall that he wanted to implement a new piece of control software from d&b audiotechnik, Marshall said, "I'm all for it."

"It was good timing for us," said Christian. "Pushing the boundaries is about trying something new, and Vivid LIVE offers a really broad spectrum of contemporary musical content against which to make a judgement on effectiveness and utility. It's easy to assess something as great, but how easy and useful it is to apply is what really matters.

"When we came to implement d&b's ArrayProcessing we already knew of its potentia

UK - One of Scotland's oldest and most renowned theatres The Pavilion in Glasgow has invested £100,000 to bring high quality audio to the many comedy, music and variety performances it hosts. Working with leading pro-audio partner The Warehouse Sound Services Ltd, The Pavilion chose to invest in a cutting edge d&b audiotechnik sound system. The system is one of the most advanced on the market.

The Pavilion's management team recently restored the theatre's exterior revamping the stonework outside the theatre and incorporating a coloured light installation. Last year, the owners also made a significant investment in upgrading the interior.

To complete the upgrade, an overhaul of The Pavilion's 20-year-old sound system was required. Iain Gordon, general manager of The Pavilion contracted long-term audio partners The Warehouse Sound Services to design, supply and commission

USA - Way back in 1955 American Reformed Church held its first service with just 30 families in the lovely city of Luverne, located in the extreme southwest corner of Minnesota. After decades of steady growth, the now vastly-larger congregation recently completed construction on a new 800-seat state-of-the-art worship centre.

Twin Cities-based Audio Video Electronics (AVE) signed on to the project mostly after the facility layout was planned and designed. The architect for the project was Architecture Inc, based is Sioux Falls, SD with Derrick Knight, Derrick Knight Acoustics, as acoustician.

"American Reformed Church is definitely big into music," said Stefan Svärd, owner and president of AVE. "They have a progressive, contemporary worship style, but their old sanctuary had a distributed system that didn't have a lot of impact. They were looking forward to g

Germany - The Bavarian city of Regensburg is renowned for its medieval centre, nowadays a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But just a few minutes away is one of Germany's most modern sporting stadiums, the new Continental Arena, where a Yamaha audio system has achieved the goal of great sound without the penalty of going over budget.

Opened in July this year, the Continental Arena has replaced the city's 89-year old Jahnstadion as the home of football club SSV Jahn Regensburg, which plays in the Regionalliga Bayern (Germany's 'fourth division').

A modern stadium in every sense of the word, as well as being a football ground the 15,200-capacity stadium can host other sporting events and concerts. It features two 'Business Clubs' and four 'Lodges', which host a wide range of business and leisure events, all with a panoramic view of the stadium's pitch.

A major feature of the sta

China - Located in the prominent business district of Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, EVER Club is fast becoming the city's ultimate party destination. In order to set itself apart from the diverse throng of crowded lounge bars and night clubs around it, EVER Club prides itself as a unique fusion of both - serving a broader demographic than just the affluent urban crowd.

Embodying the unique Ningbo culture that values "art, quality and relaxation", EVER Club aims to become "a club with vitality". To make this happen, a robust sound system is essential. The team at EZPro International Ltd opted for six Powersoft K3 amplifiers to drive four EAW Avalon CLUB.two loudspeakers.

"The system must be able to express EVER Club's mysterious flavour and individuality, and to create an atmosphere where clubbers can resonate with the music," shared Mr. Zhu, techni

UK - PLASA Focus Glasgow 2016 returns to the SECC with another distinguished seminar programme that will deliver two days of free pro audio and lighting presentations discussing the latest technologies for the live entertainment technology industry.

Thought provoking speakers include Grant Anderson, the Scottish Lighting Designer, in collaboration with lighting, AV and sound specialists Black Light who designed the popular Botanic Nights - 2015, a unique night-time experience. Grant Anderson explains how the light installation evoked an emotive reaction from the audience.

Anderson comments: "In Scotland, it's often said that you can experience four seasons in one day. Visitors to Botanics Lights have been able to experience four seasons in just one night. It made perfect sense to me to combine nature and light with seasonal changes as the three are inextri

UK - Dolby Laboratories and Ministry of Sound have confirmed a collaboration to bring Dolby Atmos sound technology to dance music.

The Dolby Atmos residency at the Ministry of Sound nightclub in London will launch on 23 January, 2016 with Hospital Records, the first in a series of special events with a lineup of top electronic artists who will "transform their music into a multidimensional, immersive sound experience with Dolby Atmos".

To support these events, Dolby will outfit the venue with its exclusive Dolby Atmos sound system, which combines Dolby Atmos audio processing technology with a network of additional speakers designed to complement the club's existing setup.

With more than 60 speakers, 22 channels, and a bespoke lighting environment that takes advantage of complementary synchronized lighting cues generated from music mixed in Dolby Atmos. Ministry

Switzerland - Following Intellitix's cashless success at the SummerDays Festival in Arbon, Switzerland over two consecutive summers, Intellitix and its strategic partner Swisscom Event & Media Solutions will deliver their proprietary Cashless Payment and Access Control solutions at next year's OpenAir St. Gallen festival held from 30 June to 3 July.

Intellitix's advanced Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology platform will enhance the event's previously used Cashless Payment system, offering more efficient and simpler organisational workflows and processes. The event organisers' have embraced adoption of Intellitix's market-tested Access Control and Cashless Payment solutions.

Chief financial officer, Cyril Stadler, was particularly impressed by the Cashless Payment system's data security, which fulfils the highest standards: "Intellitix, in collaboration with

Czech Republic - Prague's O2 Arena , one of the most modern venues in Europe, with a capacity of up to 18,000, annually hosts sports, music and cultural events for domestic and international sports athletes, musicians, bands and artists. The O2 Arena embraces modern technology encompassing its very own television studio, an internal TV distribution system, sliding grandstands, superior acoustics and advanced telecommunications.

In addition to the spectator areas within the O2 arena floor, including VIP boxes and seating areas, there are lots of commercial areas with vast lounges, restaurants and bars, in addition to a number of hireable spaces for press conferences, seminars or conferences.

The prestigious VIP Premier Club within the 02 Arena recently undertook an upgrade to its installed audio system in order that VIP guests can enjoy a better background music experience wi

UAE - The Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque, recently inaugurated at Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, is one of the largest and most spectacular places of worship in the world.

This architectural work of art can host up to 28,000 worshippers and features 65 domes, six minarets (more than 80m) tall, 24 carat gold-plated accessories and precious hand-woven carpets. Work focused on a newly-built atrium area

Because of the mosque's size and its architectural features - in particular the high ceilinged domes that are typical of the Islamic style - the mosque is an extremely reverberant venue. Similar to other large-sized places of worship, the main challenge for RCF's engineers was to attain good intelligibility across the entire listening area without neglecting the requirement for minimum visual impact.

For these reasons the choice of the main audio system fell t

UK - The University of St Andrews is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher learning in the world, A familiar landmark at this renowned university is the Students' Union of St Andrews, founded in 1885 to give support and provide representation to its students.

Tasked with providing a modern lighting solution for the refurbishment of the Student Union theatre and club - two traditional hubs of student life - Audio Light Systems installed 12 Chauvet Professional Rogue R1 Spot fixtures to award the Students' Union venues with an arsenal of modern lighting solutions.

The central wish of the Students' Union was for both the theatre and club venues to be upgraded with high performing fixtures to give both venues unique looks - a task which initially looked impossible due to budgetary constraints. However, thanks to the lightweight and tour ready Rogue R1 Spo

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