special report darwin centre
The new Darwin Centre at London’s Natural
History Museum opened to the public in
September last year. From an architectural
point of view, the building is spectacular as it
houses a giant cocoon made from concrete,
steel and glass. Designed by C F Møller
architects of Denmark, this eight storey
architectural achievement took around 25
months and 280 people to build. It is home to
the Natural History Museum’s collections of
specimens as well as displays and interactive
activities for the general public. From a
technology perspective the new Darwin Centre
also takes a step into the future.
Bringing learning to life
brief was to design a flexible, future- can interact with scientists at work
proofed studio capable of anywhere in the building, potentially
broadcasting up to five channels of bringing them news of the very latest
content at any time and to be discoveries in real-time. A four
manned by a small technical crew. channel audio facility enables talk
The capacity to repurpose content was back over two HD channels so
important as well as creating an scientists can even answer live
interactive environment which would questions from the audience. As part
stand up to the rigours of the general of the installation we also brought in
public’s daily use.” an Osprey HD Streaming PC which
IVC’s lead designer, André Ingram, enables content to be streamed over
continued: “Our role was to work with the Internet, now potentially allowing
best-of-breed manufacturers to create the Natural History Museum’s material
a 3G compliant system that allows all to be viewed anywhere in the world.
forms of connectivity so any content This will be particularly useful for
can be transmitted both in and out of inter-educational establishments to
the space. We can video conference share scientific knowledge.”
programming or live presentations by The broadcast equipment in the
A
longside the cocoon is a
The Attenborough
scientists into educational Attenborough Studio consists of five
the new Attenborough
Studio within the
Natural History
establishments or schools anywhere HD cameras. Six wired-up positions
Studio - a hybrid
Museum’s Darwin in the world for example. In addition, allow the Panasonic remotely
broadcast studio and AV
Centre.
we can satellite video conference controlled cameras to cover the semi-
presentation space, which material into the studio from locations circular lecture suite so all
will be used 363 days of as remote as the Amazon Rainforest if presentation angles can be filmed.
the year to allow the general public to required. Content is presented on five full
quite literally ‘engage’ with scientists “We have developed a remotely sized HD digital screens positioned
at work. controlled outside broadcast trolley to around the room, incorporating 5.1
IVC Media was contracted to design allow true broadcast quality to be surround sound. Content can be a
and implement the technology to transmitted and received throughout single film for example, or two
create this 64 seat, state-of-the-art the entire Natural History Museum additional projectors allow ambient
communication centre for the general which houses around 300 scientists,” material to be shown at the same
public. Bryan Edwards, technical sales said Ingram. “In this way, the time as the main film on different
consultant at IVC Media, said: “Our audience in the Attenborough Studio screens alongside a live presenter.
38 l ibe l january/february 2010 l
www.ibeweb.com
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