Its relocation to the newly developed Gasverket former gas plant, saw the Stockholm-based Berghs School of Communication call in integrator Scan AV to provide a reliable and flexible audio installation that includes a Genelec Smart IP loudspeaker system.
Home to a growing community of cultural, educational and social enterprises, the Gasverket development counts the Berghs School – a world leader in communication, offering an advanced curriculum that includes brand strategy to content design, illustration, marketing and art direction – among its flagship clients.
‘We moved to the new building and needed high-quality audio in the open areas,’ explains Bosse Hjerpe, Facility Manager at Berghs. ‘We turned to Scan AV for a solution that was flexible and – due to cost reasons – networked. The building was empty and needed to be equipped with everything, so a networked solution was much cheaper.’
‘I’ve known Genelec for a while, and my experience of working with Smart IP has been excellent, so I wanted to continue to implement this technology,’ says Scan AV Audio Integrator, Dragan Nedeljkovic. ‘I know all the advantages of a networked solution, so I asked Berghs to install the initial infrastructure with lots of network outlets, which gave us the flexibility to design the system however we liked.’
Berghs’ new home is in a central part of the newly developed Norra Djurgårdsstaden district, a former industrial part of Stockholm that is currently undergoing intensive modernisation. Aiming for completion by 2029/30, the finished project will be home to restaurants, hotels, concert halls and more – paying homage to Stockholm’s forward thinking industrial innovation.
The Berghs project began with a network that spanned all three storeys of the building, allowing Scan AV to cover the required areas with ease while offering the flexibility to adapt the sound system as needed. Berghs’ previous campus was powered by over 30 Genelec 4020 installation models. The system at Gasverket comprises 24 Genelec 4430 Smart IP loudspeakers, alongside eight of the previously used 4020 models that were brought over to be used as auditorium fill.
The Smart IP loudspeakers are distributed throughout the building, with a Xilica FR-1 DSP connected via Dante to the loudspeakers – giving Berghs full control over the system. Smart IP models offer power, audio and loudspeaker management over just one Cat cable, which ticked all the boxes for Berghs, including cost-effectiveness and simplicity of installation.
Zone one covers an open area between the entrance and the classrooms, as well as an informal hangout space and study area for students. Zone two covers the reception area and café, while zone three is a large open workspace. Zone four covers Berghs’ co-working area and zone five plays audio over an open elevated office space that is used by teachers, academics and their administration team.
To configure and calibrate the new system, Scan AV made extensive use of Genelec’s Smart IP Manager software to solve common and project-specific audio problems quickly and easily.
‘The entire building that Berghs now inhabits is equipped with integrated networked AV systems,’ Nedeljkovic says. ‘Audio, video and system control are all placed on Berghs’ physical network and supply large meeting and auditorium functionality to the school’s bigger events.
‘Everything is connected on one, easily accessible PoE+ powered network that spans four server rooms. This was key to the brief that we first received from Berghs. The system includes a variety of AVoIP units, mixing consoles, cameras, projectors, control systems and Dante audio connections, all living on one network that easily integrates with the Smart IP range.’
Incorporating a Smart IP solution into its new space at Gasverket means that Berghs can continue its goal of educating the ‘top communicators of tomorrow’ using sustainable, reliable and powerful technology from Genelec. Its new campus is just the beginning of what can be achieved in this up-and-coming corner of central Stockholm.
See also:
Genelec Smart IP joins new breed of office space
More: www.genelec.com
