NTU's Global Lounge Hits the Right Note with Students and Faculty

The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore is an internationally reputed research−intensive tertiary institution. Their broad-based education covers science and technology, business and the arts, entrepreneurial and leadership skills to prepare students for the global working world. Not surprisingly this fast−growing university with an international outlook also attracts many foreign students from across the world.

With this goal, the University management decided to create a comfortable and restful space for students and faculty from Singapore and around the globe to interact. A central location within the University grounds was allocated and, in August, the Global Lounge was born. The Lounge was designed for comfort and relaxation. In the entrance, a symbolic mural showcases the country flags of all the different of students attending the university.

To ensure that the Lounge AV systems fulfilled their purpose, the University worked with Bosch, Kramer Electronics Asia Pacific and systems integrator PAVE System.

A major design requirement was to provide TV media content (VOD) to the students in the lounge according to their respective selection. A Bosch audio system allowed the students to personalize their audio selection on a custom−built stand. Also required was the lounge doubling up for presentation use. With this in mind, PAVE Systems designed a system to fulfil the client's objectives.

The design was based on multiple input sources with different signal resolutions displaying on multiple displays with personalized listening. A Sierra Video 16x16 Matrix Switcher, multiple Kramer Scalers, eight Samsung 46” LCD panels and one 65” LCD panel created the multiple displays and a Bosch Multi−Channel Audio Selector personalized the listening.

The sleek customized stands for the personalized listening system had to be easily removed as needed to make space for other events. To this end, a mock up of the customized stand was presented to the client and after some modifications, it was adopted.

The set−up also enabled the client to conduct regular presentations through two computer receptacle points situated at the front of the lounge. For presentations, the main audio system runs via an EV Digital Matrix Signal Processor and speaker system.

The PAVE team completed the project within 2 weeks. Jeffrey Lim of PAVE System said, “Kramer and Bosch facilitated the testing and mock up during the conceptualisation of the design. Loan units were made available during customisation. The client was also very helpful in ensuring that the necessary infrastructures were available for us to complete the project on time”.