| “The seamless integration of technology is
key to the success of today’s Council Chambers,” states Lisa Thorburn,
President of Thorburn Associates (TA). Recently awarded three design
contracts for council chambers projects, Thorburn Associates will focus on
making presentation technology accessible.
Computer presentations using PowerPoint or
similar programs are common; however, the user interface, that is, which
button to push and when to push it, can be very intimidating. Modern
council chambers typically hold meetings that are simultaneously broadcast
to the public to keep communication open and inform the community of
events. If the broadcast video is captured for a ‘video archive’ it can be
saved for later playback, streamed to the Internet and provide a statement
of record. Computer voting systems allow each member’s vote to be
confidentiality compiled, then displayed.
These are just a few of the challenges to
successfully integrating technology. For the upcoming Durham County Council
Chambers in North Carolina, the existing 1991 technology in an historic
building will be upgraded. http://www.durhamnc.gov/
The audiovisual design for the Greenville,
North Carolina Government Center Council Chambers integrates dual
rear-projection screens and overhead document cameras for viewing exhibits
and site plans as well as a digital video cable broadcast system. A
separate loudspeaker system was designed for the pressroom, lobby and
council anteroom. www.greenvillenc.gov/
The design is complete and construction
about to begin on the Southern Nevada Water Authority in Las Vegas. The
project covers acoustical and audiovisual services for five floors. The
design of the boardroom includes a cable and Internet broadcast.
Presentation technology will be included in a management videoconference
suite, divisible meeting rooms, and public and staff briefing rooms. www.snwa.com/html/index.html
“These projects add to Thorburn Associates’
broad range of projects which encompass everything from airports to zoos,”
states Thorburn.
Other Council Chamber projects TA has
completed include: City of Fremont, Town of Windsor, Union City Council
Chambers, New Union City Council Chambers, Santa Clara City Council
Chambers, American Canyon Council Chamber, Forsythe County Government
Center, San Leandro City Hall, Riverside County Boardroom, San Bernardino
Valley Municipal Water District and the East Bay Municipal Water District.
For high-resolution images: www.TA-Inc.com/pr-pics.htm
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