One of the four largest banking groups in Namibia, Nedbank recently completed work on new headquarters in the heart of Windhoek begun in 2018. The final piece of the puzzle was an extensive audiovisual system spanning the nine floors of the facility, with Stage Audio Works (SAW) Namibia delivering in full.

The installation comprises Audac loudspeakers, a variety of screens, and Crestron and QSC for control. The specification, design and integration were all handled by SAW Namibia, with the primary requirement being to streamline collaboration. This was achieved by installing native Microsoft Teams conference systems in each room. Different rooms throughout the building required different functionality to be built-in, yet the framework to still be accessible to all. All systems had to be easy to use, with a familiar Teams interface.

The audio solution included an end-to-end background music system (BGM) using 24 Audac Cira ceiling loudspeakers, installed across the executive and ground floors, balancing high-quality audio and ease of installation and operation. An Audac Modular Audio System provides access to all the relevant streaming platforms and radio stations Nedbank might need. The system is powered by two 240W Audac public address amplifiers.

In the auditorium, colloquially referred to as the Sky Garden, SAW Namibia opted for Crestron’s ceiling loudspeaker solution, Saros, to integrate with the Crestron control. Twenty of these were enough to cover the area. For most of the individual boardrooms and collaborative spaces, a soundbar sufficed with support from additional Audac wall loudspeakers in the larger executive and meeting rooms to ensure consistent audio levels.

The visual element was equally comprehensive, with 13 49-inch Samsung professional displays across all the floors. With these, Nedbank has the option to display information on a building-wide scale. In the executive meeting room are an 82-inch screen and a 92-inch Grandview motorised screen, while the large meeting room uses a 75-inch Samsung display as the main visual focal point. In the larger two conferencing spaces, high-quality Atlona cameras were installed, with Stage Plus brackets, to enhance the video experience.

With such an extensive equipment list, a unifying control solution was essential. To this end, SAW Namibia implemented a Crestron Flex solution, combined with supporting Crestron hardware for each of the rooms that required Microsoft Teams integration.

‘The Crestron Flex range offers the full Microsoft Teams unified communications experience, which we combined with an integrated AEC-enabled speakerphone that delivers superior conferencing and collaboration,’ explains SAW Namibia MD, Joppie Maritz. ‘With its seamless BYOD [bring your own device] flexibility, this solution truly ticked all of the boxes in terms of our client’s requirements.’

The goal was to increase accessibility and collaboration, which would subsequently streamline Nedbank’s operations. SAW Namibia achieved this using a robust Crestron system, supported by a QSC audio processing core. Combined, they offer control features such as occupancy sensors working in tandem with room scheduling, available across the building.

‘As with all construction work, there are often inconsistencies between the plan on paper and the bricks-and-mortar on site,’ reports Emce Smit, the Technical Manager at SAW Namibia, and the Project Leader on this job. ‘It’s these differences which we need to work through together to deliver the experience they bought into when the solution was originally pitched.

‘It’s the way the industry works. The A/V aspect only comes in during the final phase. We then collaborate closely with the other contractors to ensure the result is polished and working as intended.’

‘It’s why our supplier relationship, plus their equipment track record and technical support are such key factors in choosing our preferred brands,’ Maritz adds. ‘We have achieved excellent results with Audac on previous projects. Their loudspeakers and audio processing solutions provide peace of mind, and the straightforward installation really helps with the tight deadlines. This project brought together a lot of different features, and the result was a resounding success.’

More: www.stageaudioworks.com