Loughborough University is one of the United Kingdom’s leading institutions and was voted University of the year for 2020 at the WhatUni Student Choice Awards in the ‘University Facilities’ category. TeamMate has had a long-standing relationship with Loughborough University and has supplied various models of lecterns and collaborative AV furniture over the last decade.
At the beginning of 2020, Aaron Turlington-Smith, AV Manager at Loughborough University, required two large lecterns for the recently renovated Quorn dual-use lecture theatre. The lecture theatre has the option of having two separate spaces, one smaller with approximately 202 seats and a larger 360 seat. Splitting the two theatres is a retractable wall which enables it to become a 562 seat auditorium. This impressive feat required two TeamMate lecterns for both spaces, one of which could control both spaces when required.
Traditionally Loughborough University had various TeamMate Trainer and Trainer Pro models of lecterns and then more recently moved to the Educator 2 range. The new and vastly improved TeamMate Educator 3 Single has far greater access and security than its predecessor so was a perfect fit for the smaller 202 seat Quorn Lecture Theatre.
As for the larger 360 seat auditorium next door, a larger lectern/ podium was required. It was therefore decided that a fully height adjustable TeamMate Air Podium would be more suitable.
TeamMate and partner GVAV put forward a two TeamMate teaching lecterns for this state-of-the-art lecture theatre.
For the smaller theatre, an Educator 3 Single lectern with a 1200mm worktop was chosen. The lectern had all-black painted metalwork and a worktop in Formica Polar White Matte laminate, matching the black and white branding of the University. The worktop was pre-drilled to the client approved drawing with cutouts for a monitor arm, WolfVision VZ-3 visualiser and Sennheiser Microphone charging station. In addition, a TeamMate secure control housing for an Extron TLP Pro 725M control panel with twin power sockets was selected, also finished in black to match the lectern metalwork. Finally, the lectern was finished with the University branding on the rear door.
For the Larger auditorium next door, the TeamMate Air Podium was required. With the Air boasting a 2500mm worktop, it ensured that enough space was needed for the lecturer’s supporting materials along with a keyboard and mouse, visualiser and microphone charging stations. The Air has a fully electronic height adjustment lifting mechanism, allowing the lecturer or user to find an ergonomic position to sit or stand. It also has a secure locking feature so that access to the rack enclosure can be gained from either side of the unit whilst maintaining a sleek continuous look from the audience facing side. Similar to the Educator 3 Single Lectern supplied next door, the Air also had the black and white colour scheme and was finished with the Loughborough University Logo.
In the end, TeamMate worked with partner and integrator GVAV (formally GV Multimedia) on this project. Supplying both concept and approval images to ensure that the client was fully satisfied with the look and feel of the product. Both the Air and Educator lecterns enable easy access into their secure rack enclosure by having tilting worktop with side and rear opening doors.
The lecture theatre space now operates as the largest auditorium on campus (once the wall has been retracted), enabling the Air Podium to take central stage. Alternatively, two separate sessions can be maintained alongside one another, providing added flexibility when timetabling student’s lectures.
‘Having used TeamMate extensively over the years for our Audio Visual Furniture, we knew the look and feel of the Air and Educator lecterns would suit the lecture theatre space. TeamMate provided renders for approval which enabled us to see exactly what we were getting, as always this is a great service, and we are very happy with the level of detail they provided.’
Aaron Turlington-Smith, AV Manager
Loughborough University
