Out in-house production team, White Light talk about the best way old venues and new technology can work together to great the perfect event experience.
As our last blog explored, Central Hall Westminster is steeped in tradition and a diverse, fascinating history going back over a century. This is just one of many USPs to consider when choosing the venue for hosting events, ranging from conferences and ceremonies to exhibitions and concerts. With 25 different spaces available for hire, each differing in size, scale and layout, Central Hall is London’s largest conference and events venue, accommodating over 2,000 guests.
The recently published Cvent 2019 Planner Sourcing Report cited the ‘The unique atmosphere of the venue’ as the second most important factor influencing organisers’ decision when booking a venue. So it is easy to understand why Central Hall’s rich history and traditional nature holds huge appeal for event planners. However, another increasingly important requirement is the utilisation of technology, to enable social media and other digital engagement tools to form an integral part of the delegate experience.
As Central Hall’s in-house technical production partner, we are committed to equipping the venue with state-of-the-art equipment and finding innovative new ways to enhance the event spaces with tech.
Here are just a few of the ways that we are fusing this inherently traditional venue with technological features:
- Our fully LED lighting rig in the Great Hall has been custom designed to complement the magnificent architecture of this flagship space. Due to its infinite versatility, the Great Hall has played host to everything from televised broadcasts and film shoots, to concerts, rallies and panel discussions. We therefore had to design a sophisticated and flexible lighting system, enabling us to transform the space for this very diverse range of different event formats.
- The digital evolution of set design and staging has seen us move away from the traditional and less environmentally friendly option of physical, printed pieces. From LED wall panels to wayfinding screens and projection solutions, technology plays a crucial part in bringing a venue to life through enhanced branding, immersive content and dynamic visual backdrops.
- We are about to roll-out an upgrade to 4k screens throughout the venue, as part of our ongoing modernisation of the in-house equipment. Coupled with the cutting-edge Crestron system already installed, this will help further improve the audio-visual capabilities for clients.
- Working with Central Hall’s IT team, we are maximising opportunities that their superior WiFi and broadcast quality fibre connections offer for incorporating event apps and streaming services into live events. Increasingly, venues must meet the demands of delegates using multiple devices simultaneously and this can be achieved with robust AV and IP infrastructures.
While technology is becoming ever more important to event organisers, it is essential that this does not detract from the unique atmosphere of a venue. With this in mind, we are investing in solutions that subtly blend into their environment and do not infringe on the capacity of a space. This includes edgeless floating screens, discreet cabling and sleek audio systems. Watch this space for further enhancements at Central Hall over the coming months!
