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Webinar: Optimising Sound and Atmosphere with Buro Happold

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Join Buro Happold and Vanguardia on 8th September at 3 pm BST

Join Buro Happold, leading engineers, consultants and advisors for the culture and heritage sector, and Vanguardia, a Buro Happold company, on Thursday 8th September at 3 pm BST to learn more about acoustic and sound system design.

Jim Griffiths, Co-founder Vanguardia, director, acoustics & AV, Ben Burgess, director, acoustics & AV and Daryl Prasad, director, ccoustics & AV will explain how sound can help your venue deliver beyond expectations. Plus, hear from the legendary soundman Joe O’Herlihy, sound director, U2 and live sound director at Vanguardia.

They will discuss:

  • Key aspects of acoustic and sound system design
  • Examples of optimising acoustics to maximise the experience for all
  • Cutting-edge AV technology to optimise engagement and revenue generation.

Acoustics ARE the experience

It’s important to focus on creating a ‘destination venue’ when designing the acoustic engineering at a performance venue. This provides attendees with an unforgettable experience as they are blown away by the sound of their favourite artists. This means that the specification and performance of loudspeakers is one of the most critical aspects of the design.

In this live webinar, Buro Happold’s sound engineers will discuss their experience of working in venues around the world. They will explore how the design affects not only the audience’s experience, but also the experience of the performers.

They will then relate these experiences to physical phenomena that must be considered and maximised in venue design. They will also discuss tangible examples to show how these elements have been designed to optimise the atmosphere at flagship venues worldwide.

The panel

Joe O’Herlihy

headshot of Joe O'Herlihy

Joe O’Herlihy met Bono in 1978 in Cork, and since then has worked closely with U2 for over 40 years as the fifth member of the band.

Described by Bono as “an alchemist of the U2 sound’, Joe has experienced working in most of the major arenas around the world.

He has teamed up with Vanguardia for 15 years to provide end-user experience for all sound, acoustic and production aspects related to using a venue for live performances.

Joe has given expert advice to Vanguardia for many arena projects during the design and commissioning phases of a project. He has worked with Vanguardia on projects at the Dubai Arena, O2 Arena, Bercey Arena and more.

Jim Griffiths

Jim Griffiths headshot man wearing glasses in a purple stipe shirt

Jim Griffiths is the co-founder and director of Vanguardia, now owned by Buro Happold. He has 40 years of experience in all technical aspects related to sound, acoustics, noise and vibration. Griffiths specialises in environmental noise assessment, sound management for entertainment venues and the design of acoustics and atmosphere at arenas and stadia like Wembley Stadium.

Griffiths is also a Fellow of the Institue of Acoustics (IOA). He received the Outstanding Achievement Award at The Stadia and Arena Summit in Wembley for his long-standing contribution in acoustics to the entertainment industry.

Ben Burgess headshot

Ben Burgess

Ben Burgess leads the specialist consulting groups at Buro Happold. He has a keen interest in designing building acoustics solutions for unique, challenging or landmark developments.

Burgess’s areas of focus include cultural and performance spaces as well as sports and leisure venues. He spends a lot of time on STEM and outreach work alongside the team’s technical projects.

He is also keen to promote the use of sustainable materials and approaches to design as well as clear, practical communication of engineering concepts.

Daryl Prasad headsot

Daryl Prasad

Daryl Prasad leads Audio-Visual consulting at Buro Happold and Vanguardia. He is particularly interested in live music, sports and entertainment venues.

Prasad is a qualified acoustician and is uniquely placed to understand the interaction between audio systems and room acoustics.

He has over 20 years of experience in acoustics and audio-visual design. He has also worked on many high-profile projects at the Royal Albert Hall, Glastonbury and more.

The live discussion will be followed by a Q&A and will take place on Thursday 8th September at 3pm BST.

Register for free and watch on Crowdcast.

Earlier this year Buro Happold released the final volume of The Theatre Green Book.

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Alice Sarsfield-Hall

Alice is business development manager and looks after blooloop’s clients, new business and events. She studied English Literature and French at the University of Leeds. A Disney and Harry Potter geek, you can usually find her reading, baking or at a museum.

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