BEST APPLICATION OF AV IN INFOTAINMENT
BUDGET
Between 1 crore INR and 4 crore INR (More than USD135,000 but less than USD540,000)
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar Auditorium and Theatre Centre at Dahisar (Thane), is an important public community space in the Mira-Bhayandar suburban region outside Mumbai. Managed by the local municipal corporation, it has been planned as a gift to the local community which has had limited access to cultural and entertainment events which are usually conducted in Mumbai city.
Inaugurated on 11 October 2022 and spread over more than an acre, the complex provides a modern, vibrant and well-planned environment to host various events of interest to the area’s residents. Its elegant architecture creates a delightful setting for two auditoriums, each of which has been equipped for high-production quality during events of diverse kinds, so both artists and audiences can enjoy performances up to the highest standards.
Featuring the largest auditorium in the Western Suburbs of Mumbai, it was envisaged as a multi-use space which could host events for theatre, music, art exhibitions or even seminars. This theatre would provide citizens in the local community with convenient access to cultural, recreational and entertainment events which otherwise required them to travel a considerable distance into Mumbai city.
What did the client want to achieve?
The clients wanted to create a vibrant community space as a hub for art, culture and entertainment for one of the fastest growing suburban communities in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Spread over 1,01,000 sq ft, with two beautiful state-of-the-art auditoriums, this space was intended to re-imagine what modern cultural and community event spaces can be like.
For the visitor, the complex is a publicly managed community space that surpasses any other in the city, in terms of the size, infrastructure and amenities. Families from the neighbourhood will be encouraged to visit often and spend time enjoying ongoing events. The clients also wanted to ensure that the centre – which is named after one of India’s most revered musical icons, Lata Mangeshkar – featured the latest in AV integration, lighting controls, stage lighting and stagecraft.
The Auditorium and Theatre Centre complex consists of a main 850-seat auditorium and another 250-seat mini auditorium for greater flexibility in scheduling events for varying audience sizes. Each of these needed to be well equipped to create an unforgettable audio-visual experience for visitors and performers alike.
Scope of work your company was involved in
The overall scope of Actis’ work included design, installation, integration and commissioning of the audio-visual components, stage lighting, stage craft and lighting controls. The design and installation of all these systems in the Main auditorium and the Mini auditorium were undertaken by the in-house Actis team in close consultation with the client team.
In addition to introducing audiences with exciting visuals, lighting and sound that leads to memorable events, our team also worked on seamless integration of these technology elements in the two auditoriums which are at the heart of the complex. The benefits in production quality that this brings leads to more successful shows and venues.
What key challenges were faced?
The biggest challenge that we faced during this project was related to interference caused by cellular equipment that was installed in the vicinity and within the building to improve connectivity. Since this cellular equipment was commissioned after completion of our installation, we were faced with significant problems in the wireless audio setup which is a critical element to the success of the performances.
The other challenge was to ensure a consistently high-quality audio experience with consistent coverage in every seat within the Main auditorium. This was made somewhat more complex by the seating and design elements of the auditorium structure (like the balcony section), which had the potential for causing some acoustic issues and unwanted reflections in certain event types.
How were those challenges resolved?
To begin with, our team had to identify the source of the interference in the auditorium, which wasn’t a factor when we were in the installation phase of the project. We discovered this was caused by subsequently installed cellular equipment causing interference with the frequencies used by our wireless audio system, and specifically the wireless microphones which are essential for almost any event to be hosted in the auditoriums. Eventually we comprehensively replaced all the wireless microphones to models using a distinctly different frequency range, so the possibility of problems during events was eliminated.
The consistency of sound coverage was achieved in the balcony and under balcony spaces of the Main auditorium by taking into consideration the reflected sounds that inevitably occur in such a space. This required a combination of acoustic treatment and careful alignment of audio elements which resulted in overall level balance throughout the room and intelligibility despite the acoustically ‘live’ spaces.
How has your work helped the client?
To be a true success the Lata Mangeshkar Auditorium and Theatre Centre had to meet and surpass the expectations of multiple stakeholders – the Municipal Corporation, the community, audiences and talented performers.
The exceptional quality and guest experience in the completed auditoriums has made it a preferred destination for seeking entertainment experiences for residents of the community. It has become a preferred venue for artistes and production agencies because the technology in the auditoriums inspires and supports great performances. This results in the ideal atmosphere for conducting authentic, memorable and successful events which the audiences eagerly look forward to.
For the managers of the venue (the MBMC) it provides great flexibility in hosting events of diverse types – musical, theatre, dance, speakers, presentations, celebrations and more. This results in higher venue bookings and improved sustainability for the venue operations. The carefully selected technologies that have been incorporated also allow better program execution and improved production quality in live events.
What are you most proud of in relation to the project?
We take special pride in our work on public infrastructure projects which have a greater impact on the lives of our community and which lead to improved quality of life for us all. This project, which brings access to entertainment, art and culture to everyone in our client community – from the young to the old – is therefore especially satisfying. The events that this complex will host shall bring memorable performances, experiences and considerable enjoyment to thousands of visitors for years to come.
The space, technologies and amenities in the Lata Mangeshkar Auditorium and Theatre Centre surpass anything else in the extended suburbs of Mumbai city and will allow it to host large events comfortably. We also believe that visiting the complex will be very enjoyable for audiences and artists alike and will catalyse a further interest in art, music, culture.
In terms of the technologies used for the project we were able to find a good balance between performance and aesthetics by blend technologies into the interior of the auditoriums. As a result, the performances easily fill the room without equipment seeming too obtrusive or overbearing.
List of KEY Brands and related Solutions (Models) that were defined for the project:
JBL VTX A8 / VTX A8 AF speakers AKG WMS470 D5 SET BD M-50MW BSS BLU100M-EU network audio system Sony VPL FHZ90L laser projector Elite TE265NXW motorised projection screen Cardinal DVM-120-PBSZ mic audio unit Samsung QM55R UHD 4K Signage AMX NX3200 integrated controller JBL VRX932LAP line array speakers JBL Soundcraft SI Impact mixers Lutron QP-2L Athena Edge processor
Supporting Docs:
FOR JUDGES ONLY
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