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Case Study: North Carolina State University installs a cutting-edge audio system in the Hunt Library

North Carolina State University is a public, coeducational, research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina in the United States. The university forms one of the corners of the Research Triangle together with Duke University in Durham and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The James B. Hunt Jr. Library is the second main library of NCSU and is located on the University’s Centennial Campus. The $115 million facility opened in January 2013 and is best known for its architecture and technological integration, including a large robotic book storage and retrieval system, which houses most of the university’s engineering, textiles and hard sciences collections.

The library houses a 400-seat auditorum, visualization labs used by both students and the U.S. Navy, 100 project and study rooms for students, gaming labs, a video production stage, reception and event spaces, and a balcony overlooking a nearby lake.

It also houses a corporate wing that supports the corporations of the NCSU Centennial Campus. The automated book delivery system accommodates a two million-volume collection and significantly reduces the space needed for stacks.

The library installed the first-of-its-kind Audio system with a Dynamic Audia/Nexia Duo from Biamp Systems. It was important for the library that they did not compromise on audio systems and maintained the highest level of quality.

What the solution looks like:

Faculty and students wanted a 24/7 high-tech facility in the new library to match the high-tech campus. They wanted to be able to push the limit of what was technologically possible all day, everyday. These ideas required big technology.

The main challenge of this audio installation was trying to accommodate the variety of audio spaces (from silence to surround sound) that NCSU was trying to create, in addition to the single-activity experiences that took place throughout the daily lifecycle of the building.

What the library needed in addition to a DSP combination that allowed for maximum flexibility and use for all library patrons, was an audio solution that had to stand the test of time. It took four years to build the Hunt Library and the right audio technology needed to be relevant throughout that period and into the forseeable future.

The audio system for the Hunt Library included comprehensive audio/visual, acoustic, and IT design components. The audio system was designed to meet all the needs of the NCSU campus with two DSP platforms: Biamp’s Audia and Nexia.

The immensity of the project required a phased approach, as the design team went from space to space, and installed customized audio for each room and the desired experience that might occur throughout the day.

Because areas would need to go from quiet study spaces in the early morning to the scene of a live event in the late evening, the Hunt Library IT team needed an incredible amount of control and flexibility over the system.

The audio system is primarily composed of AudiaFLEX with CobraNet cards that allows for distributed audio among multiple units throughout the facility. In the smaller conference rooms, dedicated Nexia systems have been installed for localized control over the conferencing systems.

The multimedia integration of this five-storey library was made possible by cutting-edge design and build expertise, a visionary audio/video design team and the generous support of the North Carolina legislature. The Biamp systems has helped create a learning environment of the future.

Now you know what went into creating a pivotal learning environment at the James B. Hunt Jr. Library. Technology has helped create a communal 24-hour facility where individuals, disciplines and companies can come together and work dynamically in a high-tech environment.

Now you also know how the Hunt Library at NCSU created a round-the-clock technology environment for students, faculty and companies. Here’s to a seamless audio system!

For more information on how you can install an audio system for your business, contact Actis at 022-30808080 or at contact@actis.co.in.

(Content courtesy: www.biamp.com and image courtesy: www.avispl.com)

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