The theme of the 2010 exhibition, Better City, Better Life, is reflected in the 6000 sq.m German "balancity" Pavilion, where visitors undertake a guided walking tour of the pavilion 'city', moving through 13 different areas including a harbour, parks and the city's power plant. Over 300 Fohhn products, including a range of Arc Series loudspeakers, have been networked using Fohhn's DSP control technology to provide a balanced acoustic environment throughout the different pavilion areas.
The pavilion's highlight is its impressive cone-shaped Energy Source room, featuring an interactive show in which over 600 visitors at a time can participate in setting a giant sphere (measuring over three meters in diameter and weighing over a ton) in motion, using sound and movement.
"The architectural design of this room presented a potential challenge for hanging and positioning the vast number of speakers needed to deliver its complex sound requirements" commented Uli Haug, Fohhn's executive director of sales & marketing. "However, the low weight and compact design of the systems has enabled them to integrate perfectly into the different settings and to be hung in large quantities without causing structural damage."
The 4000sq.m Swiss Pavilion portrays the Expo sub-theme of rural-urban interaction in an innovative structure where visitors can travel via chair lift between the urban heart of the pavilion and an undulating planted roof area. The pavilion has also been equipped with Fohhn's loudspeaker-, digital amplifier- and DSP-technology. All components have been networked together, enabling the entire system to be centrally controlled and monitored. In addition to supplying high quality speaker systems for use inside the pavilion, Fohhn has also developed a special weatherproof system for use in the outside area, ensuring both perfect sound reproduction and total operating reliability.
China's 4000sq.m State Grid Pavilion (dubbed the 'Magic Box') features Fohhn's Linea Focus technology in its Cubic Theatre. The 16x16x16m area functions as a 720° cinema space with six LED screens covering the walls, ceiling and floor to provide visitors with a range of 3-D visual and sonic experiences. Integrated within the LED wall space, 22 Linea Focus speakers allow sound to be targeted directly at different visitor groups, with their electronic control capability used to create a 3-D soundscape that matches the constantly changing visuals.
Uli Haug adds, "It has been wonderful to see these three projects come to fruition. Fohhn has been providing support for the sound design teams during the planning stages and our engineers have been in Shanghai to set up and tune the installed systems. Expo 2010 is an excellent opportunity for Fohhn to showcase its full range of sophisticated DSP-controlled technologies in an environment that is about as sonically challenging as it gets. Having been set up however, the systems will be quite straightforward for the sound teams to operate on a daily basis. State-of-the-art complex technology combined with ease of use and reliability has always been key to the success of our systems."
(Jim Evans)
