Western Sydney University thought in very big terms when it first envisioned building a new (AUD) $220.5 million campus in the Parramatta City Precinct, the geographic heart of Sydney, Australia.
The result is the university’s first ever “vertical” campus that is now being used by thousands of students who pass through the 285,224 square foot, 14-story vertical campus every day.
The Tech Decision
“The students who study at this new campus will find themselves immersed in one of Australia’s most technologically advanced learning environments,” says Kerry Holling, WSU Chief Information and Digital Officer. “The campus is a hub of interactive personalized and networked technologies that are designed to enhance every aspect of the learning experience. It was only fitting then that the building’s main lobby feature an information display that is as compelling as the technologies featured throughout the rest of the building.”
Keeping this many students informed and engaged with campus news and events might seem quite a challenge, but the consultants at Digital Place Solutions (DPS) knew that NanoLumens, manufacturer and marketer of LED visualization solutions, would have just the right solution to meet the challenge.
The Solution
To overcome the challenge of keeping every student informed and engaged with campus news and events, a stunning NanoLumens “True Curved” 4.7mm pixel pitch LED display was installed that wraps around a curved central wall in the new university campus hub.
The curved NanoLumens display sits directly behind the campus’s information desk and had to be formed to fit the vision of the architect. The display is perfectly curved to match the curve of the wall, which means that the architect’s vision of being able to showcase dynamic images on seamlessly curved wall could be realized.
The display actually curves past 90-degrees back into an acute angle and the off-axis viewing and colorimetry of the NanoLumens display is exceptional.
“Interestingly, at first the idea for the information area did not include a display because the architect didn’t think it was possible to find a true curved display that would work well within the overall design of the space,” says Stephen Rubie, Digital Place Solutions Managing Director. “When we showed them the performance of the true curved NanoLumens display they knew they had to incorporate it into the design of the space. In fact, the display made the space.”
Equally compelling to the architects was the fact that the entire display could be installed without requiring changes to the wall the display would be mounted on. The 25-foot wide by 5-foot high display wraps around a very tight radius, weighs only 749 pounds, is a mere 4-inches deep, and requires only 2x 15 amp circuits to power it.
The Impact
“The entire installation only took three days to complete,” Rubie says, “and because the display generates so little heat there was no need to install fans or special ventilation. In fact, people sit all day directly in front of the display.”
“The result is a very comfortable work area that features an incredibly bright, engaging, and energy-efficient display. The university and the architects are thrilled with the result,” says Holling.
Western Sydney University’s new vertical campus is now the technological epicenter of a larger (AUD) $2-billion Parramatta Square urban redevelopment program that will, when completed, be a showcase for smart city technology and the benchmark for future development in Parramatta City.
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