Audio-visual systems

Arup is a leading audio-visual (AV) design and advisory practice, delivering infrastructure and systems that bring incredible sound and vision to every kind of environment.

Our team combines experience as practitioners and consultants, is highly multidisciplinary, including sound engineers, videographers, producers, technology project managers, installation contractors, and operations support managers. The result is a highly integrated service that offers great insight and confidence to every aspect of client planning, delivery, operations, and maintenance of AV assets, taking on board operational pragmatism and alignment with business aims and needs.

AV systems are now an integral and continuous part of how we navigate modern environments and buildings. Systems technology also changes far more rapidly today, and usually needs to be replaced easily, so it is essential that the underlying infrastructure to support them be well planned, robust, and future proof.

We are a global team, able to deliver the best global knowledge locally, and to support the needs of international clients, especially when delivering in complex geographies and markets. Our independent approach allows us to help clients navigate through the complex and ever-changing landscape of technology possibilities, made more complex by the vendor-driven world of AV systems supply.

Our designers and advisors begin by establishing who is using the technology and for what purpose. From here we develop a comprehensive plan for our clients, and see that through design, construction, commissioning, and post-completion support. We also work closely with our acoustic and theatre consulting teams to achieve outstanding results in every kind of environment or setting.

How we can help you:

AV system planning and needs assessment

Every project contemplating upgrades or replacements of existing systems, or provision of new audio-visual systems requires a fundamental needs assessment to plan and prepare budgets at the outset of the project. Our teams work closely with the project members, both design team and end-users, to understand what does and doesn’t work with existing systems, and what they aspire to in operations in the future. Once complete, the assessment enables clients to explore new options and technologies with confidence.

Audio system design and acoustics

Tool

SoundLab

High-quality audio systems are an essential component of many spaces and best results achieved when the systems design is developed and integrated alongside acoustic design, and we have expertise across both these disciplines.

Our industry leading experience allow us to shape sound to deliver extraordinary experiences. This relies on our deep understanding of the factors that drive room acoustics; form, shape, volume, materials, the importance of quiet, all tailored to the activities anticipated in the space.

Our digital tools allow us to not only model the sounds of spaces during design, but also enable clients to experience them using our innovative SoundLab and Experiential Environments.

Managed service provider

For clients that need specialist AV support, through managed service contracts we develop and prepare AV systems as a managed service provider (MSP) for clients worldwide. Our team starts with rigorous needs assessments before undertaking technical delivery and operational frameworks that address functional, performance and service-level requirements.

Operational readiness, standards development and rollout

Every client needs confidence that systems will work as planned, from day one. We call the process for guaranteeing this Operational Readiness Activation and Transition (ORAT) and it is essential to the launch of any large scale project with complex technology systems. We are able to provide clients across a range of markets, detailed insight, methodology, tools and approaches to transition existing facilities to new technology systems as well as testing readiness of new buildings.

Operational service reviews

To ensure consistent performance, clients regularly need to revisit and refine the AV services they depend on. Our services include understanding stakeholder needs, assessing service delivery and satisfaction, projecting probable and possible future needs; and aligning systems and delivery to organisational vision. Our insights ensure clients are always offering and achieving their best.

Standards development and rollout

Many clients today need to develop and offer a consistent audio-visual experience across sites and estates as central to the customer experience and brand identity. We provide a service that brings together standard systems design; design coordination requirements; room / furniture / equipment spatial layouts, procurement methodologies, project management; commissioning and acceptance testing.

Visual systems

Visual systems are a prevalent feature of the built environment. With a wide range of solutions and standards to choose from, the choices can be daunting. Fundamentally, understanding the desired outcomes for users, operations, staffing and future budgets is key to delivering the desired visual outcomes and the needs to support it. 

Our teams have deep knowledge of current and emerging technologies to help clients navigate the selection process and invest with certainty.