Videlio and APG improve the experience at the Westfield Les 4 Temps

The Parisian Westfield Les shopping centre 4 Temps has carried out a renovation of its sound system with the help of Videlio which has provided a solution based on the compact speakers APG iX5 and the Column Activate Audio.

Westfield Les 4 Temps, located in La Défense, the commercial district west of the French capital, is the largest shopping centre in Europe with its more than 200 shops, 40 restaurants and a 16 Rooms. The Audio Update, carried out by the Paris-based AV specialist, Videlio, It was designed to immerse visitors in the surroundings, Making audio an integral part of your shopping experience.

Stéphane Le Roux, head of digital media in Videlio's division specialized in complex projects, Videlio-Scénotechnique, has been working with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, owner of Westfield Les 4 Temps, overseeing the maintenance of your existing AV systems and advising on future upgrades. He explains that the owners of this shopping center were convinced of the possibilities of spatial audio after Videlio gave a demonstration of Tadamm, one “Immersive Experience Box” showcasing the possibilities of immersive audio and video solutions.

“As a technology partner of Tadamm, we invited Westfield to witness the added value of an immersive sound system that complements the video system originally planned for this project”, says Le Roux. “We demonstrate how the impact of the visual component on LED screens, along with the sound system, could significantly improve the capture of visitors' attention, preventing them from looking at their phones on escalators or during downtime, and, instead, Engage with content”.

After Westfield commissioned him to integrate Digital Dream (a series of three curved Led screens that, with a total area of 250 square meters, It is considered the Indoor interactive video display largest in Europe) in Les 4 Temps, Videlio turned to APG for the Immersive Audio, and tasked the French manufacturer with creating a striking soundscape that would capture the attention of busy buyers.

The design of both the Digital Dream screen and the surround audio system was in charge of the creative agency Tetro, which he commissioned from Acoustique & Conseil (AC) consulting on this last aspect of the project.

AC's recommendations were that any new audio system should be able to deliver clear, intelligible sound at a constant volume within a defined area around the LED wall, as well as create a fully immersive, spatialized audio environment: “A demanding assignment, but for whom the iX series was the perfect choice”.

According to Le Roux, the decision to specify APG's loudspeakers was based on four factors: Their technological expertise, the strength of its offer, the fact that its products are designed and manufactured in France and the support that the company can offer to its integration partners.

"Beyond the solution itself, We needed a high level of service and support, in particular for the acoustic study of the site. Ads are aired hundreds of times a day, so they should not be a nuisance to staff and retailers. There was extensive consultation before and during the project. All of this set APG apart from the competition.".

To create the desired surround audio ambience, Videlio integrated an audio system of 12 channels composed of 28 iX5 ultra-compact indoor coaxial speakers of APG, distributed in two Convex Led Screens surrounding the balconies of the first and second floors of Les 4 Temps for uniform, object-based surround sound coverage.

The iX5, A full-range miniature two-way speaker that delivers studio-like compactness and sound quality, is the smallest member of the iX family. All speakers in this series combine coaxial technology with an integrated baffle to eliminate defraction and provide a Linear acoustic field and consistent.

On the other hand, the column speakers R210TC of APG's sister company, Activate Audio, are located on either side of the Digital Dream main screen (a curved central display in the shape of a totem pole), ensuring accurate and intelligible sound projection.

Regarding the need for high-quality audio provided by APG and Active Audio at Westfield Les 4 Temps, Perceval de Saint-Seine, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield's media director for Europe, Says: "We want to offer a complete experience to our customers and surprise them positively. This leads us to choose top-notch technology and partners to ensure that quality is not compromised.".

De Saint-Seine adds that, thanks to the iX5's range of custom finishes, The audio elements of the installation are "extremely discreet and integrate perfectly into the environment", Generating minimal visual impact and providing maximum sound coverage.

After reflecting on the integration of Westfield Les' first immersive audio system 4 Temp, Le Roux de Videlio is proud to have partnered with APG to deliver a world first in Paris: "Europe's largest and most innovative retail LED wall, and the only one that integrates immersive audio, 3D e interactive".