Project Summary
The Sports and Events Complex, fully opened in November 2019 on the Qatar University campus, is a project of ubiquitous space versatility. It is a collaborative AV effort- combining multiple sports and event functionalities to define new paradigm in space flexibility contributing to a vibrant community life on the campus.
It is a 25,500-sqm ensemble where a multitude of architectural, acoustical lighting, and audio-visual technologies come together to create a myriad combination of facilities with spatial flexibility.
In essence, the complex welcome you with a spacious entry lobby that can also function as additional exhibition space, due to the provision of banner tracks around the perimeter. It can also act as a separate sound zone for BGM, and dedicated broadcast set-up.
But the complex is specially comprised of multiple adaptable rooms surrounding an extensive and pivotal Multipurpose Hall which can host ceremonial and staged events for an audience of 5000; multiple sporting events for 3,200; or banquets for 900 - all by means of retractable seating, lighting, rigging, ceiling, suspended curtains, and a 30m X 9m portable staging. The rigging points are scalable too, up to 1 ton each.
A strong sense of ‘one-place-fits-for-all’ continues with the 36m X 67m Training Hall. It is divisible into four separate sub halls by means of ceiling-mounted retractable curtains and can hosts four separate sport-training fields, volleyball, basketball, handball and futsal and welcome an audience of 2,200.
Additionally, there is a Multipurpose Gym divisible into two foldable partitions that can further divide into three smaller spaces by integrated doors enabling users to flex between fitness, martial arts, dojo, and other allied exercises. This place is also characterized by dynamic and aesthetic audio, IPTV, digital signage and Bluetooth interfacing.
Finally, there are additional facilities including: Two meeting rooms divided by retractable partition, Three Seminar Rooms, Breakout Events Rooms, Exercise Studios, Tennis and Squash Courts, a Rehearsal/Green Room and a Student Lounge /Press Conference. Some of these rooms’ flexibility gets intensified with touch panel-controlled instruction, language interpretation system, IPTV/digital signage, broadcast and portable furniture.
Techno Q came up with clever solutions through the combination of various technologies, to be able to provide a multifunctional space that can welcome big sport events or intimate staged events, either focusing on the group or the individual, and simulate different ambiences from solemnity to dramatic.
The solution starts with the largest movable ceiling in the country, covering a 70m X 40m area of varying colours and heights from 3m to 12.8m; having the ability to easily transform the Multipurpose Hall to fit the requirements of various sports and events. Designing the scenic ceiling panels, is an important technology accomplishment since the integrator had to comply with the FIBA height guidelines. It custom-developed a 4-layer solution that comprised perforated stretch fabric as the first layer, followed by a vast size of strip lights of 200 LUX with RGBW spec to create a mood-setting light diffusion uniformly across the venue, with the third layer being an acoustical absorbent, and fourth being aluminum sheets intended to strengthen the panels.
Thus, as many as 80 5mX5m scenic lighting panels in the ceiling – customized in the labyrinth of HVAC, fire and other services - accentuate the setting with diversely captivating colour ambiences and height. It can be positioned at 10m from floor during an event and 12.5m during a sport, as per FIBA guideline, and can be dropped up to the floor level for maintenance. The panels when illuminated in four different shades of red, blue, green and (magnesium) white, renders the venue the adequate atmosphere. Moreover, a mix of wash and profile lights render the stage dynamic, while a variable sports lighting with broadcast quality make it all ingeniously visual. The lighting console, in the master Control Room situated at the centre of Mezzanine floor with bi-fold windows for an unrestricted view, is operable from any location on the field via a connection tie, while the large LED scoreboards, and numerous displays across the building are synchronized with broadcast, as well as in-house video cameras.
Sound reinforcement is highly collaborative with eighty different models of high-performance systems comprising ceiling, wall-mounted speakers, stage monitors and full range line arrays – synced in Dante-enabled network – to provide for a vast variety of audio for diverse range of applications. The ability to lower/retract the 9-element large pair of LAs greatly enhances various ambiences. Provision of ‘assertive listening’ system facilitate a fine aural comfort for hard of hearing audiences, adapting to special needs, which is further improved with the multi-language interpretation system via a WiFi-enabled BYOD system syncing iPODs and smart phones to increase the flexibility of content sharing.
The complex comes with essential AV including PAVA/BGM, interpretation system, broadcast, scoreboards, production communication, IPTV and digital signage. There is also the implementation of complex-wide blend of wireless and BYOD technology architecture, large-scale integration of AFC solution, besides Vision software control combined with ANSI/InfoComm-grade AV technologies.
Finally, the complex conforms to seven ANSI/AVIXA standards; five EN-54 (one EN-60) standards; four BS standards, and two each of ISO; DIN; FIB (+FIV) standards and the Green Guide to make it a fully certified and energy-efficient construction.
Overall, the complex adapts dynamically to different environments including a variety of sports, trainings, ceremonies, conferences, conventions, exhibitions, theatrical events and banquets with diverse configurations.
Because the capacity size can be adjusted to the event, the users will not fell cramped or lost in a big space as the complex has multiple rooms of different sizes and the multipurpose hall and training hall can always be scaled down to accommodate more intimate events or use to full capacity to welcome big crowds. Besides both halls can be blended conveniently to make a huge combo hall for exhibitions or conventions and can also function as separate facilities with dedicated entry/exit points.
Conclusively, the combined AV installations help to transform and adjust quickly and smoothly the different spaces in the complex, bringing a touch of magic to each event.
Qatar University - Sports and Events Complex
Category
Best Flexible Space Experience
Description
Company Name
Techno Q