Solutions: Durlston Country Park Visitors Centre, Dorset
additional plasma display so that visitors could see the animal in its original form, putting the small fragment of bone or tooth into some sort of perspective,” says Miller.
Seeing the light DJW also needed to find a way to light each artifact so that it corresponded with the narration and plasma screen content. “We needed a solution to
light up 10 pence-piece sized spots, and at some points several individual pieces needed to be lit at once,” he added. A gobo projector with around 30 LEDs from Southampton-based Commercial Lighting emits light for the relics, while an iLight SCH1200T source controller operates each LED. Meanwhile, five Bose
FreeSpace Model 16 ceiling loudspeakers provide audio for the narration of each piece, and an NEC P461 LCD screen displays video of the animals in their original form. The design of the new
visitor centre incorporates a small lecture facility for small-scale presentations and other uses that require
professional AV kit. “The area is often used for
art exhibitions; we’ve found the room to be particularly useful for artists who present works of art in video,” comments Miller. A Panasonic PT-DW6300
projector using a standard lens drives images onto a Harkness 2.4m-wide electric screen, which is flanked either side by a Bose FreeSpace DS 100SE loudspeaker which has a maximum SPL of 105dB. A Sennheiser EW135 handheld wireless mic captures audio in the presentation room, and four Bose Model 16 loudspeakers are fitted to the ceiling. Controlling the room’s set up is an in-rack Crestron CP2E system, which operates all audio and video elements; the company’s wireless MT- 1000C touchscreen and docking station completes the system.
Reception – upstairs Visitors are welcomed into the castle’s upstairs reception by two large curved multimedia displays that provide news and up-to-date information on the day’s events. One, Today at Durlston,
incorporates an NEC Multeos LCD 40in screen mounted in portrait mode to display the Park’s Daily Diary – which has continuous streams of information including weather forecasts, bird sightings, and other exclusive wildlife content. A pair of 10squared 20in
CCTV monitors are fitted either side of the central NEC display; these show live camera feeds from around the site, with any switching between content sources handled by a Kramer VS1604 xl matrix switcher. Along the top of the curved
display cabinet formed as a banner, a Panasonic PT- DZ6700 WUXGA projector displays video content similar to that of the lower floor’s A Year in The Life of Durlston setup. The system uses an Iztech video warp for soft-
edge blending and geometric correction. The other curved display,
entitled This Month at Durlston, incorporates two screens showing live camera feeds or recorded footage from around the park. Providing interactivity is a Winmate 8.4in touchscreen which features birds of the month. The display can also demonstrate bird calls at a touch of the button – “especially good for the children who attend the centre”, adds Miller. The site was officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal on 12 March. Mike Hope, DJW’s project
manager, says: “We have worked with Durlston Country Park for some years now and it is always exciting to be able to come back and be involved in the constant
evolution of the visitor centre. This latest work really will modernise the way visitors interact with the park and we can’t wait to see people using the multimedia Daily Diary.” “It was a nice project to
work on, and it was nice to be involved very early on,” finishes Miller. IE