Namibian financial services company the Capricorn Group recently inaugurated new offices in Windhoek. The unveiling of the site was officiated by Koos Brandt – one of the founders of Bank Windhoek, the flagship of the Capricorn Group – lifting the curtain on a new data centre and in-house training facility, as well as the various departments of Bank Windhoek.
Stage Audio Works (SAW) Namibia was called in to deliver a comprehensive technical system, and also oversaw the subsequent integration, commissioning, and support, bringing these elements together.
While many businesses were downsizing, losing staff or reducing their service as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic, the Capricorn Group moved to expand: ‘The board was very mindful of the positive impact the project would have in securing jobs and stimulating the economy,’ says Johan Swanepoel, a chairperson of the Capricorn Group. ‘When others were disinvesting, postponing investment, and cutting capital expenditure, Capricorn Group took the bold decision to invest, and the board approved the development of Capricorn Corner. The investment in Capricorn Corner helped secure 250 jobs over 16 months and inject N$110m into our economy.’
SAW Namibia’s primary brief was to streamline and improve the Capricorn Group’s video and audio conferencing experience across nine meeting rooms. One aspect of this was the inclusion of native Microsoft Teams conference systems in each of the rooms, to ensure high-quality streaming with a familiar interface.
The new building also included four classrooms, which required interactive displays to improve the group’s training capability. Additionally, the project’s scope covered the provision of a multi-purpose venue that required the dynamic routing of audio and video sources to cater for various occasions. The overall goal of the installation was to improve both the flexibility and operability of the bank’s unified communications (UC), to promote better collaboration. It also had to satisfy the architect’s vision of the building, seamlessly blending with the design where possible.
Capricorn Corner’s audio is principally comprised of Audac equipment, with the focal point of the installation being the multi-purpose conference venue, where SAW Namibia installed ten Audac ALTI4 pendant loudspeakers. Additionally, seven QuickFit ceiling loudspeakers were placed throughout the venue, with a further ten in the adjacent balcony, supported by two surfacemount loudspeakers. The system is powered by an Audac CAP448 four-channel amplifier. For smaller interactive classrooms, a soundbar was enough to serve the room.
‘We have achieved excellent results with Audac on similar projects in the past, and therefore Audac was our preferred choice of loudspeaker and amplification for this unique project,’ says SAW Namibia MD, Joppie Maritz ‘Audac’s seamless integration and operability ensures that installation times are kept to a minimum, and their proven reliability reduces the need for maintenance. These are huge benefits in such a prestigious, large-scale integration as this where peace of mind is essential.’
The video element of this installation is equally impressive. Each room is furnished with the visual tools required to increase efficacy and improve collaboration. SAW Namibia equipped Capricorn Corner with numerous screens to fulfil a variety of applications depending on the location.
SAW also specified cutting-edge technology to increase the control Capricorn Group has over the new office. ‘The Crestron Flex range was the perfect solution for this installation, encompassing the full Microsoft Teams Room UC experience in a neat package, complete with an integrated AEC-enabled speakerphone to provide crystal clear conferencing and collaboration,’ Maritz explains. ‘When you factor in the Flex’s ability to connect and present from any mobile device (BYOD), it really does satisfy all of the clients need.’
Where possible, systems are automated to streamline the process and reduce the potential for human error. This is particularly evident with the integration of PoE, touchscreen room scheduling devices and occupancy sensors, also from Crestron. Furthermore, the inclusion of Crestron’s Air-Media technology allows for easy, secured wired or wireless presentation in the multi-purpose conference venue.
For a project of this magnitude, the challenges that arose were minimal – a measure of the communication between SAW Namibia and the Capricorn Group. The main challenge was time…
‘One of the most common challenges is that the sensitive A/V equipment needs to go in last; a process that requires a persistent dialogue between the integrators and architects, as structural changes often need to be tailored to house the gear in creative ways,’ explains Emce Smit, Technical Manager for SAW Namibia. ‘We were appointed fairly late in the project. Coupled with the heightened security involved with connecting to the bank’s corporate network, numerous co-ordination meetings had to be scheduled to ensure that everything was flawless. Fortunately, the concerted collaboration of both parties resulted in an immaculate result.’
More: www.stageaudioworks.com
