All lights and whistles

 The lighting system at SkyCity’s recently-opened convention centre is acknowledged

as one of the country’s most sophisticated - blending spectacular effects with unlimited flexibility and precision, fingertip control. Lawrence Schäffler investigates.

Launched formally in July, the new

$140 million convention centre at the

SkyCity complex is everything you’d expect

– elegant, stylish, plush – and very big.

It’s the largest multi-functional convention facility in central Auckland, with capacity for up to 1200 (banquet function) or 1500 (theatre-style) delegates.

It comprises two levels dedicated to conferencing, exhibition and banqueting space – together they offer more than 5000 square metres.  The 1300 square-metre main room sits above a lower area (almost a replica) with 1040 square metres of conference and exhibition space.

“Our prime focus,” says Mike Horne, manager of the convention centre, “is to be able to cater to any client requirement – whether it’s a business convention, a wedding, an exhibition, a dance extravaganza, or even a theatrical show. To best utilise the space we needed a very versatile lighting system.”

And that he has.

Flexible configuration

Designed by Staging Connections (one of Australia’s leading stage design and technology teams), the lighting system delivers maximum flexibility for the centre’s multiple space options.

A clever arrangement of motorised room dividers allows the rooms to be configured into separate, smaller chambers, in various combinations. The upper room, for example, can be divided into two, three, four, or five separate sections. That flexibility underscored the need for an adaptable lighting system.

Two distinct lighting systems are used in the main room: house lights and effects lighting. They are integrated and both can be controlled via a number of portable mixing desks,

called ‘Hogs’.

Why portable desks? Well, depending on whether the room is used as a single area or divided into separate rooms, the mixing desks can be deployed in different positions.

They simply plug into one of numerous DMX ports. Or if the room is used as a single area,

the desk is deployed in the upstairs AV gallery, out of sight.

Effects are provided by a hundred digitally-controlled MX 10 lights, each drawing 250 watts.  The room can accommodate a hundred tables, and if you want a different lighting effect on each table?…well, you get the idea.

While the MX10 lights are in fixed positions, mounted on a framework recessed into the ceiling, they are particularly sophisticated lights using digital control.

From the mixing desks, operators are able to create unlimited effects around the room.

Each MX10 is equipped with a mirror that swivels in three dimensions, allowing operators to direct its light to any area of the room. In addition, the units are equipped with filters and screens that create combinations of colours and patterns, and can direct the light in a ‘spot’ or ‘diffused’ beam.

Examples of effects include strobing, colour wash, flowing water, and sunflowers. “The mixing desks offer precision control,” says Horne, “and the lights can all be controlled individually, or they can all work together in perfect synchronisation.”

This system of control is particularly valuable when the room is subdivided into smaller sections – with five different functions being held simultaneously, for example.

With the portable Hogs, individual desks can be deployed in each of the rooms, allowing for specific control of lights in each room.

Joysticks and wheels on the mixing desks enable operators to pan and tilt any of the lights, and even carry out ‘follow spot’ movements, following someone on a catwalk or on a stage, for example.

Horne says the lighting infrastructure is more than adequate to meet virtually any function (they’ve already hosted boxing events, fashion shows, and numerous business conventions).

“Still, we have some clients that insist on complementing the equipment with their own lighting, and to cater for that, the room is fitted with a series of movable trusses that are lowered from and hoisted back into the ceiling with synchronised electric motors.”

If required, the additional lights can also be controlled from the mixing desks. The extra lighting, mounted on the trusses, is hoisted back into the ceiling.

Time and cost savings

Horne points out that the design of the centre’s lighting system offers a significant time and cost benefit to clients.

“Because effects can be created easily and quickly, and because the lighting infrastructure already exists, setting-up time is reduced considerably. With traditional facilities, a client may have had to hire the room for a day prior to the event, just to set up the lighting.

With this system, the lighting can be done in half the time,” he says. The centre has a complement of 10 expert staff providing a lighting consultancy service.

While the lighting system employs complex technology, the designers have ensured that – should they wish to – clients are able to trigger some of the basic lighting functions themselves.

“A number of touch-pad panels have been mounted in the walls of the room. They can be programmed with the number of pre-set configurations for specific lighting effects,” says Horne. “For example, if a client wants to create a particular ambience at a certain point of the proceedings – and has to fade down the lights – all it requires is a discrete touch of the panel and the transition takes place.”

Given that the room can be divided into a number of smaller areas, each requiring its own lighting configuration, the panels have been set into the walls in various locations.

The ceiling also features an array of high-powered speakers that provide concert quality sound. In conjunction with stage microphones and the PA system, the audio equipment is easily geared to a marketing convention, a disco and DJ, a stage band, or a classical concert.

All sound-related equipment is controlled from a separate sound desk, but it communicates with the lighting desk so that lighting effects can be programmed to sound cues – or vice versa.

Data communications

A comprehensive CAT 5 cabling infrastructure is the backbone of the convention centre’s IT system – designed for networking and broadband activities.

High-speed broadband connectivity is available throughout the convention centre – either by cable or wireless – enabling delegates to seamlessly incorporate web presentations, video streaming and video conferencing.

“Broadband access is imperative for conventions and exhibitions,” says Horne, “when delegates and exhibitors want online access.  Delegates want to be able to use their laptops, Palm Pilots or iPacs to pick up emails and access the Internet. In conventions and seminars, they also want to be able to establish a local area network.”

The centre has 14 antennas for wireless connectivity, and operators have already created four access points as ‘hotspots’. That gives delegates Internet access from anywhere in the convention centre. Additional hotspots are currently being activated.

A bright future

Given its size and facilities, it’s perhaps not surprising that SkyCity’s convention centre is already taking bookings for 2006.

“Our biggest problem with the lighting system,” says Horne, “and it’s a problem we’re happy to have – is trying to ‘educate’ our clients about the capabilities of the lighting infrastructure. Proving to them that they don’t necessarily need to hire additional lighting and sound facilities. With time, we’re confident the centre will ‘speak’ for itself.”