The newly constructed Macquarie University Law School building epitomises the University’s dedication to ensuring its educational programs remain relevant and adaptable for the future, thereby solidifying its position as a premier institution in higher education.

This milestone project, part of the ambitious “Our University: A Framing of Futures” initiative, involved the comprehensive reconstruction and extension of a 1980s administration building, transforming it into a state-of-the-art hub for legal education.

At the heart of this transformative development are a series of specialised active learning spaces, one-button studios, cutting-edge theatres, meeting rooms, multipurpose rooms, and the crowning achievement – a state-of-the-art floating moot court. This unparalleled facility and the technology integrated offers an immersive, real-world learning environment for students, enabling them to hone their skills in a setting that mirrors contemporary legal practices.

Notably, this project marks the first and largest end-to-end Q-SYS ecosystem deployment at a university in Australia, setting a new standard for educational technology integration. The Q-SYS system ensures seamless connectivity and advanced audio visual capabilities for dynamic and interactive in-person and remote learning environments.

The university, in collaboration with consultants Arup designed 80% of the system, with Concept AV taking on the remaining 20% and design finalization of the technology to be delivered.

Active Learning Studios

The custom designed Active Learning Studios transcend physical boundaries, fostering a truly inclusive and immersive learning experience for remote and in-person participants. At its core, the system boasts high-quality video capture capabilities facilitated by QSC NV-32-H Video end-points strategically positioned throughout the room. Complementing this set up, the Active Learning Studios have been equipped with 2 x QSC PTZ 12×72 conferencing cameras with pan-tilt functionality allowing for detailed and flexible space capture of both the presenter and students within the space.

Audio capture is achieved through the integration of Sennheiser TCC2 Microphone Ceiling Arrays which enable pick up from all directions ensuring that every participant’s voice is accurately captured, fostering clear communication and collaboration. Dedicated other microphones in the space, including the Lectern Gooseneck Microphone and Wireless Handheld Microphone by Sennheiser provide presenters with versatile options to convey their message effectively, regardless of their location within the space.

Central to the operation of the system is the QSC Touch Panel housed on the lectern at the front of the space, which serves as an intuitive control interface for users to manage and oversea various aspects of the AV setup effortlessly. From adjusting audio levels to seamlessly switching between video sources, the touch panels offer a streamlined user experience, enhancing efficiency and productivity during presentations.

The main display solution in the space is made up of a Panasonic RZ Series projector and motorized projection screen. This solution enables the display of a variety of video sources including wireless presentor (Crestron AM3200), Local PC, HDMI Laptop input at the lectern, and document camera. 5 additional Samsung 55’’ Displays are also wall-mounted around the space to make up student pods. Students can connect via a provided HDMI cable and display individual content on their screens, or the teacher has the option to effortlessly share this content to the central projection system.

As per Australian standards, Williams Sound IR hearing augmentation was provided to ensure complete accessibility of the space for hearing impaired students.

Outside each of the Active Learning Studios, a 22’’ Samsung Room Signage Display was installed which enables the class schedule to be displayed.

Moot Court

The first of its kind in Australia, the floating moot court is a defining feature of this law faculty dedicated building. This technologically rich space has been designed to embody the grandeur of a real courtroom, with its imposing bench, and gallery seating, fostering an atmosphere of professionalism. The Moot Court experience at Macquarie University extends beyond mere simulation. It is a dynamic learning environment which serves as a hub, hosting prestigious competitions as well as standard lectures and tutorials.

At its core, the space is a comprehensive Q-SYS ecosystem complete with QSC NV-32-H video endpoints and digital signal processors, and two centralised points of control in the form of an 11.6’’ touch panel at both the judges bench and attorney tables. These touch panels serve as intuitive interfaces for managing the audio and video inputs controlling the Panasonic projector in a lifter, display, and adjusting settings on the fly. The QSC ceiling loudspeakers and column arrays, powered by a 8-Channel amplifier, distribute high-quality sound evenly throughout the room, ensuring clear audibility for all participants.

The judge’s bench is situated at the front of the space against the backdrop of a 140’’ large motorized projection screen. This bench is equipped with 4 x Sennheiser gooseneck microphones to facilitate the mooting session The inclusion of a shock mount ensures that the judge is captured clearly, free from ambient noise and vibrations. Dell preview monitors enable those sitting at the front judge’s bench to view the content projected on the screen and shared by case makers, as well as any remote participants, without having to turn and look at the main projection screen.

The bar tables for the defence and prosecution also feature the Sennheiser gooseneck microphones, however these have been integrated with Push to Talk buttons to allow for flexibility of discussions without undesired pick up and amplification throughout the space. Video inputs and document cameras are also provided at these benches to enable the presentation of both digital and printed documents.

The system also includes Wireless Handheld and Lapel Microphones, offering mobility and flexibility for attorneys and witnesses. Additionally, the Sennheiser TCC2 Ceiling Microphone Arrays capture audio from all areas of the courtroom, including the audience and jury, ensuring that every voice is heard.

BYOD connectivity and wireless presentation is achieved through the inclusion of a Barco CX-50, enabling the flexibility of ad hoc users to connect to the presentation system wirelessly using a personal device on the university network.

The system has been designed and set up to enable remote participation, thus QSC PTZ conference cameras provide comprehensive video coverage of the space, with the capacity to capture different angles and zoom in on specific areas such as the speaker, ensuring that every aspect of the session is recorded. The Epiphan Pearl Mini Video Production system manages the video feeds, allowing for recording and live streaming through the Echo360 lecture capture.

A local PC, among the other devices are concealed in the rack room at the front of the space.

Meeting Rooms (x15)

With group work and collaboration an integral part of the university teaching structure of courses, providing students with the necessary facilities to promote this was central to the design of the new building. The Macquarie University Law School in addition to the learning studios and specialist spaces houses a range of meeting rooms ranging from small, medium, to large ones catering for up to 24 people. These spaces feature audio visual systems that are similar to that of real-world corporate environments, complete with UC functionality and presentation capabilities and room booking panels.

Small Meeting Rooms (x8)

The small meeting rooms are enclosed presentation spaces with a capacity for up to 6 people. With a 55’’ Samsung QM55R display at the front of the room, users can wirelessly connect through the Barco CX-30. This also allows for Wireless BYOD web conferencing, irrespective of the system of preference, all from the ease of the user’s laptop. The all-in-one Crestron UC-SB1-CAM, a front-of-room device mounted below the display, provides a sleek and stylish soundbar, camera and speakerphone for video calls.

Medium Meeting Rooms (x4)

The medium meeting rooms are similar in functionality of the small meeting rooms, however, feature and in-room PC to allow for web conferencing calls from platforms already installed. Designed for meeting with up to 10 participants, the medium meeting rooms are more complex in design, encompassing the QSC end-to-end network solution as per the active learning studios.

A single 75’’ Samsung Display at the centre of the room provides the visual solution, complete with a QSC soundbar for audio output. Far end participants on calls can see all room participants as though they are present andactively involved in the discussion through the inclusion of the QSC PTZ cameras and an Audio Technical WS954 Ceiling Mic. Audio routing is done via a small DSP located behind the display, with an output also being used to send mix signal to the Williams Sound IR hearing augmentation system. This system is controlled via the QSC table mounted touch panel.

Large Meeting Rooms

There were two types of large meeting rooms delivered for the Macquarie University Law School building. The key point of differentiation for these 24P spaces was the selection of either an LCD display or projection solution for visuals. The display based solutions centres around an impressive 98’’ Samsung Display, and features a Sennheiser TCC2 Ceiling Microphone Array for audio capture of the meeting and a QSC PTZ camera. Two front of house speakers in the QSC AD-S6T were mounted either side of the display to provide audio output to the space.

The projection-based solution opted for an 120’’ Motorised Projection screen with an in-ceiling box. Unlike the other meeting rooms, the touch screen control panel was wall-mounted.

Multipurpose Function Rooms

The Multipurpose Function Rooms on Level 3 s a large, flexible space catering to a variety of different use cases including presentations, functions, training sessions and events. These spaces can be physically split via an operable wall. This system has been designed to be used as two single meeting rooms or a combined presentation space, thus operates under a single mode or combined mode.

In single mode, the two separate spaces are almost identical in functionality on a smaller scale, however one of the split single spaces has both a 180’’ projection screen and a 130’’ projection screen, providing two different viewing angles. The Panasonic projectors deliver high definition vibrant images for content display.

For audio clarity and quality, the system includes a range of microphones and speakers. Sennheiser wireless handheld and lapel microphones provide flexibility for speakers and presenters, allowing them to move around the room while maintaining clear audio transmission. The room’s audio coverage is enhanced by Sennheiser TCC2 Ceiling microphone arrays, two in each of the zones. The audio is distributed through QSC ceiling microphones, powered by 4-channel amplifiers. This setup ensures even sound distribution, particularly in combinable mode.

Each of the spaces are controlled via a wall mounted QSC touch screen. When in combinable mode, the side of the space with the central 180’’ projection screen, noted as multipurpose one, takes master control of both the spaces. Two moveable lecterns provide a definitive presentation point for each of the zones but also allows for easy reconfiguration of the room setup to suit the different events and activities. This mobility ensures that presenters have a versatile platform to work from, regardless of the rooms configuration.

East & West Theatres

The east and west lecture theatres saw the university adopt a different system, electing to go with a Crestron DMS3-K-360-C as the Digital Media Presentation System. This choice was on the basis of campus consistency and ease of cross faculty functionality should the spaces be required to be used by others. QSC was still central for the networked audio component of the space with the inclusion of the AD-C6T in-ceiling speakers, amplifier and Core 110fx audio processor. This system is further supported by the inclusion of Martin Audio foldback and presentation speakers.

The systems in these spaces are controlled at the front location of the BlueGum lectern. The Crestron 10’’ touch panel powers and provides the teacher the capacity to switch between inputs. A Shure lectern microphone was installed at the lectern, however to provide flexibility and ease of movement for the facilitation of engaging discussions, a Sennheiser wireless microphone solution including a lapel and handheld was provided.

Panasonic projectors were mounted in the space to display on the white wall at the front centre of the room. The content sources can be routed directly through with the lecture capture for remote participants. A QSC PTZ camera also provides in-space capture of the lecturer and any participants as they engage in discussion.

Photo Credit: Concept AV Australia