Project Highlight - Smith + Andersen Vancouver
The Client
Smith + Andersen is a well-known Canadian engineering consultant firm with offices spread across the nation. Working primarily in the communications, security, and audiovisual fields, Smith + Andersen provides mechanical and electrical consultation and engineering design services. From hospitals and schools, to train stations and workplaces, Smith + Andersen has established themselves as one of the leading firms both within the public and private sectors across Canada.
Evolution AV is proud to have worked within the Vancouver office location of Smith + Andersen. Creating an efficient, functional AV ecosystem was vital to the operations of the company, as they need to operate seamlessly on a local and nationwide scale. This constituted the need for multiple conferencing and meeting room systems, which we were happy to provide and install.
The Small Meeting Room
Designed as a small-form meeting room, this space has been outfitted with everything employees need to collaborate both in-person and remotely with other offices. The centrepiece of the room is the 43” Sony Professional 4K Bravia Display. This display offers stunning 4K quality images while also being ideal for a professional setting due to its flexible networking/control and extensive integration options.
Installed on top of the display is a Huddly GO Video Conferencing Camera. This discreet camera features a 150-degree wide-angle lens and captures high-quality video for conferencing. The wide-angle lens is essential for bringing professional video conferencing to smaller-scale meeting rooms, as it allows team members to sit comfortably spaced out around the conferencing table, while still being visible on camera. No “huddling” needed!
Learn More: Our Work in Vancouver
Controlling the room system is a Crestron Mercury Tabletop UC Video Conference Console. A tabletop console device engineered to provide professional-level conferencing and collaboration experiences for meeting rooms, huddle spaces, and executive boardrooms or office spaces. The Mercury system runs off of an “Open UC” system which enables it to be integrated with any phone system, Microsoft Teams, Zoom Rooms system, mobile phone, or a laptop running any conferencing, or web collaboration application.
Outside of the room sits a Crestron 7” Room Scheduler. This sleek-looking panel allows employees to book the room in advance, or immediately. When the room is booked or in use, the panel turns a bright red, allowing a person to know immediately if the room is available or not. The panel is installed quickly and uses web-based integration. This allows the panel to update company scheduling programs as well, so that remote booking/availability checking of the room is possible.
“AV Integration can help bring your office environment to the next level."
Andre Rink - Regional Manager - BC, Evolution AV
Smith + Andersen’s Executive Boardroom in Burnaby, BC
The Executive Boardroom
The focal point of this project is the executive boardroom space. A professional presentation and collaboration space is integral to the company’s smooth operation and innovation.
Upon walking into the room you are greeted with a long, sleek boardroom table, and at the head of this table sit two 75” Sony Professional 4K Bravia displays. These displays are similar to the display found in the smaller meeting room, with an obvious size difference. The thin bezel surrounding the screen contributes to the large-scale feeling of the displays. It also creates a smooth presentation effect when a user requires both screens to display separate content.
On the audio side of the install - the room is outfitted with QSC AcousticDesign Ceiling Speakers placed around the room. These provide high-quality sound distribution throughout the room, ensuring every meeting participant can hear the presentation/conference clearly no matter where they sit. These speakers are powered via a QSC audio amplifier and controlled via the Q-SYS Ecosystem. For more information on QSC and Q-SYS, check out our Tech Tuesday series where we do a deep dive into the system and its capabilities.
For audio input, there are two Shure MX Series ceiling array microphones hanging above the boardroom table. These microphones provide a cable-free, high-quality audio experience all whilst being a modern design addition to the room. The microphones are hung via high-strength tension cable from the ceiling and are able to pick up voices throughout the boardroom. Steerable Coverage allows for specific audio input zones to be designated, so that excess noise (and audio output from the ceiling speakers) is not picked up by the microphone, only those voices sitting at the table.
To control the room, left of the displays sits a Crestron Wall-Mounted, 8.7" Wireless Touch Panel. Cased in a wall enclosure to ensure a form fit - this panel acts as the control hub of the room, programmed to turn on/off the displays, active microphones, ceiling speakers, etc. Crestron control systems are a staple in many of our installations, and we are proud to be a preferred Crestron Partner. The room also features many laptop/control wiring solutions by Kramer. These cable bundles ensure that anyone can walk into the room, plug in their laptop or other device and instantly gain access to all the audio and visual elements of the boardroom.
The installation that we’ve completed at Smith + Andersen is a classic example of how AV integration is vital to creating an efficient, modern office experience. Remote conferencing/presentation integration has become more vital than ever to the smooth operation of large-scale businesses. This means that collaborative technology must be available in every setting - from the smallest huddle room to the executive boardroom. Smith + Andersen opted for both, and we’re proud to see how it is helping shape and elevate the way business is conducted in their Vancouver office.
Thank you, Smith + Andersen for trusting Evolution AV to bring your office collaboration spaces to life!