Complementing over 260 retailers, 50 places to eat and a 14-screen cinema (due to open in 2009), one of Westfield's major features is The Atrium, a 6,500m2 rectangular central area that will host a wide range of entertainment, including live performances and exhibitions.
A sound, lighting and video system that can be used and then stored away as needed, has been specified to combine quality and flexibility with reliability.
"They want this to be a multipurpose space that enjoys an audio quality that reflects Westfield's status as an ultra-modern facility," says Lee Dennison, project manager for Surrey-based Delta Sound, which was awarded the contract to design and install The Atrium's audio system.
"In order to make things as flexible as possible, we needed to design a system that would allow a stage to be placed end on at the end furthest away from the main entrance, sideways on, or in the round. In addition, productions could be anything from one person with a microphone through to full live music or theatrical productions."
In overall charge of the project was Westfield's technical manager for The Atrium, Simon Jones, who ensured that everything about the project was designed and installed to get the best and most versatile result. He appointed The Rigging Partnershiip to work in close conjunction with Delta Sound to install rigging points throughout the ceiling, providing a range of hanging points and possible truss configurations including standard lengths, figures of eight and circles as required for any given event.
Lee and Delta's technical manager Daren Hurst also worked very closely with manufacturers EM Acoustics, Lab.gruppen and Yamaha to design a complex networked audio solution, with digital EtherSound installed alongside analogue lines.
Facilities panels are located in The Atrium's floor, which allow the audio network to be accessed in a variety of locations. Together with the many rigging points, this infrastructure means that the space can be set up in a variety of ways for the different types of live event.
"The network is laid out with fibre optic EtherSound, analogue multicore, video and lighting feeds, plus mains power, routed together," says Dennison. "You can drop into the network via the facilities panels and pick up any of these feeds from any panel. It makes it extremely versatile."
Managing the system is a Yamaha DME24 digital mix engine, through which all the audio is routed and which also acts as an interface between The Atrium and Westfield's analogue background music and evacuation systems.
A comprehensive Lab.gruppen amplification package, comprising four PLM10000, one PL6000 and three FP2600 is used to drive the system.
(Jim Evans)
