Built on the site of a former cinema, the aim of the Pala Riccione (or the Palazzo dei Congressi di Riccione to give it its full name) is to become one of the major conference venues in Italy and Europe - thanks to a progressive audio visual infrastructure, masterminded by Rimini-based installation company Alter Echo, which chose a BSS Audio Soundweb London solution.
The Pala Riccione extends over a number of floors and includes six digital cinemas (on Level 2), and a number of reconfigurable conference rooms on Levels 3 and 4, providing an overall capacity of 2,500 people.
The largest of these is the Concordia Room (the 'Great Hall'), a multi-function 1,800sq.m space which can operate as a 1,400-seat (theatre style) auditorium, or be split into four other scenarios with the aid of wall dividers for mixed concept exhibitions and catering.
Working closely with architects and acousticians Studio Anselmi, Gandolfi, Passarelli, in conjunction with Poltrona Frau, which supplied all the furnishing, Alter Echo specified an all Harman Pro sound solution.
Poltrona Frau has delivered a world's first by installing 1,400 'motorised' armchairs with a special mechanical design by Generale Impiante; this allows all seating to 'disappear' beneath the floor - changing the venue into an empty 1,800sq.m space in less than five minutes.Soundweb London programming support was provided by Audio Equipment's Moreno Zampieri. With HiQnet software set up on their laptop it will be possible for Alter Echo to run system health checks (with fault reporting) from their offices in Rimini.
The network is all under BSS Audio Soundweb London control. The matrix comprises five BLU-80 (four 12 in/4 out analogue, one 8 in/8 out analogue), and three BLU-16 (12 in/4 out analogue). There are further BLU-80 devices receiving the signals in the local racks and seven BLU-10 programmable wall controllers for local source select and volume control, distributed around the venue.
The main room PA comprises a JBL VRX 932LA system, four enclosures per side in L/R hangs, along with a VRX 928LA ceiling monitor. The system is equalised and delayed in Soundweb (the delay is applied when Concordia A is open to its full extent). These are supported by three JBL AM4212/95 90° x 50° with rotatable horn - which activates when Concordia A & B operate independently. The system is powered by Crown CTs 3000, 2000 and 600 amplifiers, fitted with PIP USP3 CobraNet cards.
(Jim Evans)
