The old building at St George's Church, in Tufnell Park, has been renamed Rock Tower and has reopened as a place of worship. The building, which operated as a theatre and a community space in recent years, has been fully refurbished with a new extension, a cafe with free Internet access for the community, a youth centre and a day care facility for under-fives.
The charity approached SSE over two years ago at the earliest stages of the renovation. SSE was commissioned to install a complete audio and lighting installation for the church auditorium and adjacent spaces.
The audio design for the main auditorium was a challenge because the local Council had set demanding noise restrictions on the building. In addition there was no steel structure for the suspension of the PA, only heavy timber beams. A Nexo Geo S8 system was specified for the main PA. "This was an easy choice," says SSE's Alex Penn, who has worked on the project from the outset. "It provided the renowned Nexo hi-fi quality sound in a very small and lightweight package. This worked both with the aesthetics of the building and the weight restrictions the roof presented."
In order to keep within the noise restrictions set by the council and use all of the available limit, it was important to achieve consistent levels across the auditorium. This was achieved through accurate system design, which included the use of Nexo PS8s as fills under the balcony. CD12 subs were flown with the main PA hangs to keep the majority of the system off the floor and to direct bass onto the balcony using the cardioid pattern. These are supported by two RS15 subs operating in omni-directional mode and located in enclosures at the front of the chancel for sub-bass on the floor.
To ensure the whole system could be controlled and limited, a Master System control was installed using Yamaha DME64N. The DME is also responsible for all signal routing between various areas within the building. The complete Nexo installation is powered via the new NXAMP powered digital TD Controllers. With their Yamaha-powered DSP capability, these are specifically designed for Nexo products to achieve the highest possible audio standards.
On stage, as part of the monitoring system, are new Nexo PS R2 Series wedges. "This was the first time we'd used them for this purpose, although they are ideal monitors. They are sold with both LH and RH variations and the new grilles are much more appropriate for wedge monitors than the original PS series as they are stamp-proof."
In total, eight PS10 R2 and four PS15 R2 were delivered, powered via Nexo's NXAMP. "This combination produces a definite audible improvement on the original PS series and keeps standards at the cutting edge of current technology throughout the audio installation."
Because SSE was involved from the start of the project, it has been possible to integrate the audio design into the fully refurbished building. At all stages, SSE has liaised with the architects, building contractors and House on the Rock staff to ensure that the project was implemented as effectively as possible.
"We have been able to contribute to the overall project throughout, which I'm sure has enhanced the Church's function as a live music venue," notes Penn. "This has differed from most of our projects as were able to make design changes as we went along to achieve improvements. For example, close liaison made the cable management more effective than is often the case."
The completed church now provides weekly services, along with a range of community events. "SSE continues to work with House on the Rock and we are now holding weekly training classes with their personnel so they can get the most from their investment," conf
