Antwerp’s Queen Elisabeth Hall and Congress Centre has been undergoing a major
two-phase transformation which was first hatched back in 2009.

The City’s desire to create a modern multifunctional concert venue incorporating a
spacious congress facility brought with it the requirement for an expertly
engineered sound system — and this was entrusted to FACE, the Powersoft Belgian
distributors.

The new look is a far cry from the original building, owned by the Royal Zoological
Society of Antwerp (KMDA) which dates back to 1890. Demolished after the Second
World War, it was rebuilt again in 1960.

Plans to refurbish the existing building were scratched in favour of a total rebuild,
which was budgeted in the region of €85m. Today the 25,000 sq.m facility hosts the
2,020-seat Queen Elisabeth Hall, accommodating the Royal Flemish Philharmonic
Orchestra, the expansion of the Congress Centre and integration of the new building
in the “Historical Wing’. Linking it all together is the spacious and airy Atrium Hall,
which also provides the main access to the building.

The multifunctionality will see it host concerts and congresses but also classical
music combined with theatre and dance and pop-rock concerts — cleverly designed
technologically for fast turn-over between the different events.

FACE joined a team in 2013 that included Ian Simpson Architects, acoustic
consultants Kierkegaard Associates, Bureau Bouwtechniek architects, and theatre
consultants Charcoalblue.

The technical specialists were brought in by the main technical contractor Putnam to
install the audiovisual system, lighting and cabling.

With the stage tailor-made for the Philharmonic, and divided in three moving stage
elements, FACE had to install 26 customised versions of the RH CFX41 stairstep
speakers in the three rows, following throughout the EASE model and simulations
for the optimum placement of speakers.

On the stage RACE have turned to Martin Audio for monitoring — with all main
speaker and monitor sets powered by three Powersoft X8 and three X4 from the
new flagship series, while an Ottcanali amplifier, featuring a switching device
designed by FACE, serve the front fill speakers — with all amplifiers carrying Dante
on-board.

Processed by the Powersoft Armonia software, with internal DSP and Matrix on-
board, this amplifier platform allowed the integration of a very complex set-up to
be operated with an extremely user-friendly interface.

In addition to the FOH system FACE also installed a discreet speech system to be
used with the FOH front-fill and delay speakers. The venue is also equipped with an
Ampetronic hearing loop system, split into five independent zones.

A Dante network controls and links up the whole audio configuration for both the
main system and external zones via a MediaMatrix NION platform.

The Queen Elisabeth Hall is now open and the Congress Centre follows in March
2017.