Founded in 1880, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam), is a leading university in the Netherlands and is ranked among the world’s top 120 institutions.
VU Amsterdam wanted to create a new type of education building known as the New University Building (NU Building). As the heart of the renewed campus, the building was designed as a meeting point for students and researchers alike. The layout included a special flooring system to enable additional floors to be created in order to become a fully flexible teaching and meeting hub. The building was also future proof with an energy-efficient green roof and has a BREEAM Excellent certificate for sustainability.
TeamMate worked with the audiovisual team of the VU Amsterdam, back in early 2019, where it was identified that a wall-mounted solution was needed to mount displays and associated AV equipment in the NU Building’s various seminar and collaborative spaces. The challenge was that the screen could not be too far from the wall, in addition to having Audio Visual equipment fitted into the solution. Many of the walls in the New University Building could not support the AV and IT infrastructure, therefore a solution was required so that cabling could come up from the floor.
The New University Building also has seven lecture theatre spaces and a couple of flexible collaboration rooms. Lecterns were required for both spaces but they were required to match the aesthetics of each space.
TeamMate’s distribution partner, Van Domburg Partners, supplied various Totem SBS stands throughout the New University Building. Each stand provided a cutout for Extron MLC 100 AAP and Dell 36D micro PC. In addition, below each screen was a soundbar bracket for a Neets SB1 soundbar. The Totem SBS also had x2 3U vertical rack-mountable apertures for any additional AV/IT equipment should VU Amsterdam want to add an internal power block or for future upgrades. The key standout feature of the Totem SBS is the set back screen design, which enabled the screen to sit as close to the wall as possible therefore maximising the space in the room.
TeamMate also provided various lecterns for the smaller collaborative teaching labs and larger lecture theatres. Hub 2’s were utilised in the smaller spaces, where its 16U was required instead of having a Totem SBS. For the larger lecture theatres, Educator 3 Single VariHite’s were chosen with custom dark brown RAL painted metalwork, with worktops in a wooden colour to match. The university chose the Educator 3 Single due to its superior hassle-free access from the side opening doors and hinged worktop. In addition, TeamMate sent the pull-out rack system weeks ahead of the delivery of the main chassis, enabling the integrator to start the rack build prior to installation.
The New University Building was due to open in 2020, however, due to the coronavirus pandemic, this was delayed until 2021. TeamMate worked seamlessly with the audiovisual team at VU University on the project as well as with TeamMates distributor in the region Van Domburg Partners.
TeamMate’s furniture solutions have the ability to facilitiate both in person and hybrid learning sessions to take place at the university for the foreseeable future as we enter this post pandemic world.
Vivian Mok, Product Manager at Van Domburg Partners said, ‘As a distributor, it is always a pleasure working with TeamMate. Very proactive in regards to the project, shipping and development of custom items.
I’m proud to have been a part of this project and look forward to our next project together with TeamMate’
As a distributor it is always a pleasure working with TeamMate. Very proactive in regards to the project, shipping and development of custom items.
I’m proud to have been a part of this project and look forward to our next project together with TeamMate
Vivian Mok, Product Manager
Van Domburg Partners
