CONTACT SALES
TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Delivering Innovative AV Integration and Storytelling in Iconic, Historic Spaces

As audiovisual technology marches forward, some of the world’s most iconic and historic places are being swept into the current. There’s a common desire to maintain these powerful spaces, but also to shine renewed light on them by leveraging the kinds of cutting-edge, engaging and immersive experiences only today’s innovations can provide.

Planning and implementing striking, modern solutions in these spaces requires careful attention to their character, history and design – in other words, it takes an eye for balancing the beautiful with the innovative.

This merging of old and new can serve a nearly endless variety of purposes, from education and immersive experiences to telling a fully realized story by leaning on the space, itself.

Breathing new life into historic places is an exciting challenge. But how can you best prepare to meet that challenge head on?

Leveraging Extensive Planning to Tell Impactful Stories

While planning is always a critical part of implementing lasting and memorable AV integration, the beginning stages of a project involving an iconic space are even more crucial.

“I think when you’re looking at designing a new space or a new museum, you’ve got a blank canvas. You’re working with an architect and with other trades who are building a building, and it’s a lot easier to walk in and say, ‘OK, here are our concepts, and here’s what we’re thinking,’” said Chris Johnson, Electrosonic Service Sales Consultant. “But when you’re looking at renovating a historical space, there’s a lot more that goes into it in the planning phase.”

In nearly all cases, Electrosonic Business Development Manager – Entertainment Alan Wilkinson said, any damage or change to the structure or environment of the space is strictly forbidden. Historical spaces weren’t designed with modern AV in mind, and efforts to bring the past back to life can’t include drastic alteration to suit present-day purposes.

In addition, Wilkinson mentions that many factors need to be carefully considered before an AV solution can be proposed.

These include environmental concerns, such as how protected from external forces and weather the area is, the amount of dust in the space, and potential access limitations like narrow hallways and small windows.

Aesthetics are also a primary concern – will modern equipment prevent the original ambience and character of the space from shining through? This goes hand in hand with construction, another key consideration. The planning phase needs to account for how equipment will be fixed in place, if fixing is allowed at all, where power will be located, how cable is run and more.

Finally, the extended life of the solution needs to be considered. How will maintenance occur, and how often? What equipment can be used to perform this maintenance? Will it potentially damage original surfaces?

Answering these questions is always possible, but it takes a careful study of the space and, often, greater attention to detail than is needed on projects where an architect is there to help develop an initial plan.

Balancing lasting character and aesthetic with cutting-edge innovation

Though working with historic buildings can present challenges not typically associated with modern spaces, it can also present a unique opportunity to capitalize on one-of-a-kind elements.

That idea can be taken literally. Historical spaces often present unique idiosyncrasies that, instead of hindering AV solution implementation, can be used to blend the installation with the very fabric of the space.

For example, inside the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, elements of mid-1800s design were incorporated into a modern solution that leverages linear video, interactivity and interpretive media to bring customers a dramatic and immersive telling of the hardships along the journey to freedom.

The implementation of an immersive experience inside the Dover Wartime Tunnels is yet another example of turning what appeared to be a challenge associated with a historical space into a lasting and powerful solution. By leveraging the length of the tunnel walls, themselves, customers are thrown into a recreation of what users of those wartime tunnels might have felt so long ago.

The character of spaces can also be preserved in more unique, modern ways. Take the Stonehenge Visitor Centre – customers aren’t allowed to enter the 5,000-year-old site’s famous ring, so the Visitor Centre brought the ring to them. With special filming techniques, a 360-degree recreation of the site was brought indoors, offering a unique take on the preservation of a historic place and its character.

These are just a few examples of the impact of weaving the historic into the modern. By turning an eye toward any opportunity to add touches that are completely unique, designers can ensure the final experience upholds the character and ambiance of the original space.

Delivering engaging, fully realized customer experiences

When careful planning, mindful construction, unique opportunities to blend old and new, and powerful AV capabilities converge, fantastic and one-of-a-kind customer experiences are born.

Though the very nature of these iconic spaces change the entire approach to implementing modern AV solutions, a need to preserve the original and authentic character, and the necessity for unique solutions that address those concerns, overcoming those hurdles can result in powerful experiences that surpass even the most cutting-edge solutions inside newly constructed buildings.

At Electrosonic, professionals with decades of experience in tackling those challenges can help you exceed expectations.

“In a word, (it’s our) experience. We have worked on the design, installation and long-term servicing on hundreds of projects like this all over the world, from the Dubai Museum in the ancient Dubai Fort to Charles Dickens’ house, now a museum, in Rochester, Kent,” Wilkinson said.

Ready to see how Electrosonic can leverage our expertise, experience and dedication to creating lasting experiences, including through innovative and captivating projection solutions, to help you create a one-of-a-kind installation in a historic space? Contact us today 

What's your perspective?

Tell us the topic you would like to hear more about

More Perspective
7 MINS

The Evolution of Sound

Today’s performance audio landscapes are dominated by immersive artificial soundscapes, directional audio and other advanced sound systems. These innovative solutions build on the pioneering...

|
4 MINS

The Metaverse: A world of opportunity

When Gartner cites the metaverse as one of its top strategic technology trends for 2023, the technology has to be taken seriously. Indeed, according to forecasters, it looks like big business for...

|
2 MINS

Dark Rides, The Next Generation (Part 2)

In an earlier blog, Dark Rides – The Next Generation – Part 1, we explained the importance of upgrading dark rides to meet increasing visitor expectations and explored the three key trends –...

|
3 MINS

Dark Rides, The Next Generation (Part 1)

Dark rides have been an important and popular attraction in theme parks for generations, but now experiential technology is taking them in exciting new directions — and the new generation of rides...

|
2 MINS

The evolution of the video wall

Video walls as art - How far can LED technology take the video wall? Video walls have reached an exciting tipping point. The latest developments in LED video walls are helping designers create custom...

|
3 MINS

How to Use AI to Augment Your Creative Potential

Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t the stuff of science fiction anymore. In fact, it’s powering billions of processes and workflows for companies worldwide. It’s become a key component in almost...

|
3 MINS

The Future of Onsite AV Support

The world of audiovisual technology is changing, and effective design, planning, engineering and installation of a holistic AV solution is now a prerequisite to doing business in an increasingly...

|
6 MINS office-shakehands

Planning to Hire an AV Company?

Exceptional projects demand an exceptional team. When engaging an audio visual (AV) solutions provider with so many companies out there… how do you choose? From design, to procurement, commissioning...

|
3 MINS

Are You Ready for ISE?

Taking place in Amsterdam February 11-14, the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) exhibition is a premier event focused entirely on audiovisual (AV) and systems integration. If you have a project on the...

|
2 MINS

Is Your AV Deployment Secure?

The need for security impacts everyone. And, unfortunately, unmonitored access points can quickly lead to a costly data breach. The massive Target breach from a few years ago was the result of an...

|
1 MINS

Does 5G Matter for Your AV Deployments?

If you pay even the slightest amount of attention to technology trends, you already know that the hype around 5G is rapidly gaining steam. The question is what does the eventual movement from current...

|
4 MINS

Looking Back at a Decade of Opportunity

Each time we hit a new decade, it is always fun and often rewarding to take a look in the rearview mirror to see how the company has progressed. The past 10 years represent a decade of significant...

|
2 MINS iStock-1152574617

What's on Your Wishlist?

Do you have a project on the horizon? Is your goal to captivate your audience? In the spirit of the holidays, we have created a wish list of the qualities a company should consider when selecting an...

|
2 MINS james-pond-XO9uCZZaipE-unsplash

Dark Rides Expand Branding Opportunities

Brands are more important today than ever before. Why? Today’s consumer likes to relate to a brand – it is part of the experience they desire. This is true whether they are buying a product or...

|
2 MINS iStock-165683086

Dark Rides Protect Your Park's Future

Nostalgia has its place even with the Millennial crowd. There is something comforting about a known experience. It helps the guest even temporarily relive cherished childhood memories. That is the...

|
3 MINS dtorlando-01_(1)

7 Things You Need to Do During IAAPA

There is a lot of excitement at IAAPA, and without a plan the entire experience can quickly become overwhelming. Sensory overload is always a real possibility! Having participated in these events for...

|
5 MINS blog-image-01_(1)

Are You Ready for IAAPA?

As the attraction industry’s biggest expo, IAAPA is always a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on what we have done over the past year, as well as a time to meet with existing and prospective...

|
2 MINS iStock-863497498

Do You Really Need an AV Consultant?

As the experience economy continues to mature and evolve, it is has become increasingly more important to embrace creative and meaningful ways to visually interact with team members and customers....

|
2 MINS iStock-1093674926

Are You Ready for AV-As-A-Service?

The cloud-based as-a-service market has been one of the fastest growing sectors over the past 5 years. So much so that it’s estimated that organizations will spend $94.8 billion on these cloud-based...

|
1 MINS iStock-658188828

How Interactives Can Become Viral

We have talked in detail about the significant role that interactive audiovisual deployments can have as guests engage and ultimately embrace the immersive experience. What we haven’t discussed is...

|
1 MINS iStock-911030486-1

Addressing Learning Disabilities

Today’s educators are far more in-tune with the need to adjust lessons to meet individualized student needs. Addressing learning disabilities is a prime example.

|
2 MINS iStock-1065240764

Future of the Digital Workplace

The digital economy is here and with it comes a new way of conducting business. Technology is at the core of almost every job. Smart offices have become the norm with an influx of highly interactive...

|
2 MINS shutterstock_576827212

Collaboration and Communication

When properly leveraged, audiovisual (AV) technology is at the core of most highly effective collaboration and communications efforts in today’s digital world. After all, AV technology has the...

|
2 MINS podcast imageNEW-01

Unpacking the XR Revolution (New Podcast)

We are in the beginning stages of a true revolution – the extended reality revolution. Although some components have been around for a handful of years, the current level of maturity, understanding...

|
3 MINS iStock-169938237-1

Why Businesses Favor a Huddle Room

The global market is rapidly evolving, and if organizations hope to compete – or better yet thrive – they need to rethink their physical environments. Gone are the work weeks where workers file into...

|
1 MINS iStock-1043605040

Reinventing Spaces: Retailtainment

Modern retail venues are constantly evolving – merging entertainment with shopping to create lifestyle destinations for people to shop, eat, drink, socialize and work. They are ultimately redefining...

|
2 MINS monitor-1054708_1280

Why Audiovisual Solutions Matter

In today’s digital economy, how businesses leverage technology is often a key differentiator. While various technologies play a role in fueling this evolving environment properly deploy audiovisual...

|
2 MINS elc400_N5_medium_(1)

What is a Huddle Room?

As Millennials started replacing Boomers, they brought with them the idea of open office environments. And, while these open spaces created an aesthetic the new professionals desired, it also shined...

|
2 MINS victor-garcia-qm9pHqVt7KA-unsplash-2-2

Optimizing Design with AV in Mind

When creating a distinctive structure for a client, it is easy to get caught up in the aesthetics of delivering a truly unique design capable of setting a facility apart from the pack. However, doing...

|
2 MINS jeshoots-com-722888-unsplash-1

Putting an End to Terminal Boredom

Airport terminals can be busy and heavily congested environments, especially during peak travel times. However, even though terminals are often filled with people rapidly moving from point A to point...

|
Scroll to Top