How Does Technology Affect Design?

Technology has become the staple of a modern workplace—but it has also become a challenge for designers and architects. The technology should be seamlessly worked into the space, and sometimes it needs to be out in the open while other times it can be hidden in a space. Regardless, it always needs to easily accessible and never lose its functionality. To find out how designers and architects are approaching technology integration, we sat down with Eric Lockwood, business development executive at Tangram Technology, for an exclusive interview.

GlobeSt.com: When it comes to integrating technology into a workspace, where do you start?

Eric Lockwood: Integrating technology systems into a physical space first of all requires a clear understanding and appreciation of the architectural design concept for that space. There are endless options for making a piece of equipment fit into a room, but a fundamental objective should be to ensure it complements the visions of the client and the architect for that space and the experience they want to create within it.

Technology can be expressed or concealed as desired. It is the technology integrator’s privilege to be able to work alongside the architect and client, share in their vision and ideate integration concepts that enhance the spatial experience while maintaining excellence in technical performance. For example, where surface mounting a display and integrating microphones in a conference table may be entirely appropriate for one application, it may be essential to fully recess the display and use a ceiling mounted beamforming microphone array (to keep the conference table clutter-free) for another.

Next comes integration with building infrastructure and environmental factors. As with any low-voltage building system, the integration of technology requires thoughtful planning and detailed coordination with the architect and many other trades including electrical, mechanical, structural, acoustical, cabling, security, building automation and fire/life safety engineers and contractors. There may also be specialty consultants on certain projects such as exhibit curators or theater consultants.

GlobeSt.com: Why is proper integration important?

Lockwood: Technology systems are interdependent on these other trades. Without detailed planning and coordination, an otherwise well designed and programmed audiovisual system will surely fail, potentially literally if for example there is a system shutdown due to incorrect power circuiting or inadequate ventilation.

Equally important are environmental factors such as ambient light and room acoustics. A brand-new, high-contrast “HDR” display with an impressive 1,000 Nit light output will appear washed out and unwatchable in a high-ambient-light environment with undimmed lighting fixtures above and glare from nearby external glazing. Likewise, the audio origination quality from even the best microphone system placed in a conference room with full-height, parallel glass walls and hard floors will be audibly compromised if the acoustical treatment of the remaining room surfaces is not optimized and ideally “tuned” for the particular microphone solution.

GlobeSt.com: When should technology integration begin?

Lockwood: Since audiovisual systems require a secure, clean, dust-free environment complete with finished surfaces, millwork and furniture to integrate into, the on-site component of a technology installation necessarily occurs toward the very end of a construction project, sometimes only days prior to occupancy.

This situation makes it critical for the integrator to perform as much early off-site staging, configuration, rack building, programming, testing and system demonstrations for the client as possible. Not only does this minimize the remaining work to be completed when the equipment is eventually shipped to the site, but it also ensures the majority of the system assembly, programming and pre-testing occurs in a secure and controlled environment (the integrator’s build/test facility) long before the site is ready to receive the equipment.

Additionally, today’s audiovisual systems almost invariably either communicate via a data network or use one to distribute content, or both. Therefore, a further critical site integration consideration is coordinating with the client’s IT team to ensure their network is installed and active prior to the scheduled activation and testing of the audiovisual system on the premises.

GlobeSt.com: How has your approach to site integration changed over the years?

Lockwood: This practice was not the case 20 years ago when audiovisual systems were still tied together using proprietary point-to-point analog video, audio and control cabling. Since that time, the on-going convergence of audiovisual systems with data networks has afforded great advantages in terms of flexibility in signal distribution, breaking down distance limitations, utilizing a common cabling infrastructure, enabling web-based control and remote management, and many other benefits.

However, convergence has in turn created a new dependency on the data network, new requirements for that data network to be configured in a certain way to support all of the needs of the audiovisual system, and new network management and security considerations. The result is often a need for an entirely separate network to be created or “partitioned off” from the corporate network and dedicated solely to supporting the audiovisual system reliably.

This dependency on the network has also created a new critical coordination point between the audiovisual integrator and the client’s IT team to ensure all of the physical data outlets, network requirements, switch specifications, IP address ranges, open ports for HTTP (internet) access and other such details are planned, provisioned and available on schedule to support the incoming audiovisual system.