SOLUTIONS: GESSI MILANO ITALY
Tip-top taps
Italy’s bathroom fitting leader inaugurates a unique high-tech showroom, writes Mike Clark
The former cinema now features waterfalls, gardens, a fusion bar and a high-tech events area
[INSTALLED]
LIGHTING Clay Paky A.leda Wash K10 DeSisti Leonardo LED Fresnel MA Lighting onPC command wing
AUDIO Yamaha LS-9/16 console DME-64 Yamaha DME-64 digital mixing engine d&b audiotechnik White Series 4S and 5S speakers d&b audiotechnik Ti10 Black Series speakers d&b audiotechnik 12S-SUB and 27S-SUB subs d&b audiotechnik D6 and D12 amplifiers Riedel MediorNet and MediorNet Compact Riedel RockNet Extron MPA 152 audio amp
IN MARCH, after almost two years of revamping work, Gessi SpA – Italy’s leader in the tap, bathroom fitting and personal wellness sector – opened Gessi Milano, a brand- new multifunction location in the city’s top fashion district. The 1,500sqm facility, a
former cinema radically redesigned by Gessi’s creative team (Gessi Style Studio), led by Luca Bresciani and Sara Ferrari, sets itself apart from conventional showrooms thanks to its waterfalls, vertical gardens, a fusion bar and a high-tech events area. Laid out on several levels, it features valuable materials and furniture alongside rare objects, which create the perfect setting for the iconic bathroom products that have contributed to making Italian style famous worldwide. Gian Luca Gessi, the company’s CEO (and co-founder with his father), stated: “Gessi Milano is a Concept Lab where ideas, creativity and innovation will animate a constantly evolving space – the perfect setting for exclusive events and presentations, even of other brands.” Following the positive
results achieved during its previous collaboration with Gessi, for the design and supply of the AV set-up in the Academy at the
50 May 2013
company’s HQ (see
Installation Europe April 2011),
specialist firm Molpass Srl was once again called in. Bresciani says: “The aim
was to create a multifunctional facility that could adapt to meet any type of requirement, using new- generation technology designed for top-grade audio and video, but keeping the hardware invisible. The set-up also had to ensure user- friendly operation by the staff, who have to control light, water, music and so on via iPad. We are satisfied with the results achieved in this case.”
ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE As well as meeting Gessi’s brief for excellent sonic and video results using technology with a low visual impact, another key aspect addressed was energy saving; all the architectural lighting is LED-based, as is that in the event area (14 Clay Paky A.leda Wash K10 and eight Leonardo LED Fresnel by DeSisti (two 120W and six 90W).
The equipment (chosen almost exclusively by Molpass) also had to be available for use during third- party events and some (such
as the Yamaha LS-9/16
audio console and DME-64), is already in use at
Gessi’s HQ. Molpass pro-audio specialist Alessandro Bertoni explains: “We obtained uniform audio coverage in this architecturally complex location with a total of 58 d&b audiotechnik White Series (42 4S and 16 5S) enclosures installed behind acoustically transparent panels in the walls, and 10 12S-SUB in the false ceiling.” The only visible speakers
are two arrays of three d&b Ti10 Black Series, flown above a large bookcase (which also hosts two 27S- SUBs), in front of which there is a stage and a Screenline 7m x 5m motorised screen. There is also an LED videowall (1920 x 1080) formed by nine NEC P463 46in LCDs. Bertoni stresses the importance of the system used for the transport of the numerous signals: “With so many signals to and from the main control desk (the nine d&b D6 and two D12 power amps are in the equipment room), Riedel MediorNet plays a key role, providing a large distributed matrix able to transport any signal anywhere in real time. Using
VIDEO NEC P463 46in LCD displays Screenline motorised video screen Panasonic PT-DZ110XE projector coolux Pandoras Box Manager STD video server coolux Pandoras Box Widget Designer STD media server coolux Workstation media server coolux Pandoras Box Broadcast LT 2HD_SDI-8 media server Kramer FC-46 converter Kramer FC-113 converters Kramer FC-31xl converters TV ONE C2-6204 video processors Extron HDXP Plus 16x16 matrix Extron DVC 501 SD converters Extron FOX 500 DVI extenders (TX/RX) Extron SDI-AVR 100 converters Extron MTP T 15HD RS TX encoder Extron XTP R HDMI TX Extron MTP 1500RL 15HD RS SEQ receivers Extron IPL T S4 IP links
Control Extron RAC 104 remote control Crestron AV2 control system Crestron C2ENET-2 Ethernet card Crestron DIN 8SW8 valve controllers Crestron V-Panel touchscreen Crestron TPS 6L wall-mounted touchpanel
just four fibre optic pairs, it can handle countless signals and its broadcast quality guarantees reliability.” Marco Castelazzi, MA Lighting and coolux Media Systems product specialist with Molpass, says: “As far as video is concerned, the Pandoras Box [PB] system includes a PB Manager STD video server, PB Widget Designer STD controller, a coolux Workstation media server and a PB Broadcast LT 2HD_SDI-8 media server. This is the same equipment used by Gessi’s in-house technicians at their HQ, so the criteria for creating content and controlling events remain unchanged.” The broadcast model was chosen as it integrates perfectly with the video network without any need for further conversions. At Gessi
Milan, Pandoras Box is used in real time in a very creative manner for the crossfades and animation in 2D and 3D in the various presentations staged. Castelazzi adds: “Following the positive experience with MA Lighting at the Gessi HQ in Milan we installed an MA onPC command wing, used with a touch PC and grandMA2 software, ensuring compatibility with all the larger desks.” DMX signal transport is via
UTP Cat6 cable and for each connection point installed throughout the showroom there are EtherCON ports connected to the MA network, ensuring utmost flexibility. From the command wing, or via an iPad with the MA2 Remote app, cues can be set from anywhere in the event area. The wing is
www.installation-international.com
OF THE MONTH
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60