Category: industry updates

An impressive new permanent exhibition inside Drents Museum in the Netherlands has been brought to life by Ata Tech with a comprehensive audiovisual package from Pharos Architectural Controls and Genelec.

The exhibition comprises 15 rooms that create a labyrinth of interactive storytelling, revitalising the northeastern province of Drenthe in the Netherlands. Visitors experience an array of unique interactive adventures, from a mammoth hunt to a farmer’s wedding. The exhibit also features the world’s oldest-known boat, the 12,000-year-old Pesse canoe, discovered near the museum in the 1950s.

Advanced technologies from Pharos and Genelec were utilised to create the interactive soundscapes and projections that also enable guests to participate in games such as spear throwing and canoeing. A Pharos Designer LPC (Lighting Playback Controller) created the perfect interface to handle the complex lighting and sound requirements for the exhibition, which includes a full universe of DMX-patched lighting fixtures, as well as control of other AV devices.

Pharos Cloud allowed for remote monitoring, management and adjustment of the multiple systems required to create a seamless, immersive visitor experience. The LPC’s show-control capabilities were integrated with Genelec speakers to create the single-controller system, making start-up, shutdown and maintenance of the installation simpler and more effective.

The additional flexibility provided by Pharos Cloud enables both Ata Tech and the team at the museum to respond quickly to any programming changes or new requirements that arise, without the need for physical intervention. This not only ensures optimal operation of all systems, but does so in a way that is user-friendly, allowing museum staff to easily manage the various systems through an intuitive interface.

The challenge in the Labyrinthia project was implementing a soundscape throughout the museum while ensuring the audio synchronised seamlessly with the content in each room. Additionally, it needed to allow museum hosts and tour guides to easily mute the sound in each exhibition space during guided tours. This was achieved using the Genelec system, which enables guides to manage the audio effortlessly via a phone or iPad.

A monitoring system was also installed, allowing Ata Tech to remotely check the functionality of the audio system. The system can be monitored globally via Pharos Cloud, enhancing maintenance efficiency and reliability.

Tom Aarts from Ata Tech, said: “The feedback from the client and from visitors alike has been fantastic and we are thrilled to see the exhibitions in action; entertaining, engaging and educating guests that visit the museum. The choice of Pharos and its integration with Genelec allows the technologies at the Drents Museum to be combined in a flexible and efficient way, contributing to a dynamic and immersive experience for the visitors.”

Bas Hoksbergen, Business Development Director for Pharos, said: “The seamless integration between the Pharos and Genelec systems has created something very special at Drents Museum, and demonstrates perfectly the continued versatility of our controllers.”

Project Credits:
Systems Integrator: Ata Tech
Audio Specialists: Genelec
Lighting Controls: Pharos Architectural Controls
Designer: NorthernLight
Exhibit Builder: Bruns
Interactivs:e YIPP
Content: WIRTZ Film & Experience Agency
Photography: Sake Elzinga & Nienke Maat

Currently playing at The Old Vic in London, Oedipus is a contemporary adaptation of Sophocles’ classic tragedy. Featuring a cast led by Rami Malek as Oedipus and Indira Varma as Jocasta, the production is co-directed by Hofesh Shechter and Matthew Warchus, in a new adaptation by Ella Hickson. This epic and revelatory version follows King Oedipus on his quest to save his people. He vows to succeed whatever the cost and so begins an unstoppable pursuit of the truth through a harrowing labyrinth of fear and love. The production has been met with critical acclaim and is nominated in three categories at this year’s Olivier Awards, including Best Actress, Best Sound Design and Best Theatre Choreographer. Featuring a lighting design by Tom Visser, White Light was approached by The Old Vic’s Head of Lighting Andrew Stuttard, to supply the lighting rig.

White Light and The Old Vic share a relationship spanning over 20 years, with WL supplying lighting equipment for the majority of the theatre’s productions. Andrew reflects on this collaboration: “We really value our relationship with White Light’s hire team. Having worked with Stuart Porter and Jedd Hamilton for many years, they understand our needs. The team is always accommodating, whether we need to adjust, swap, or add more equipment during tech weeks. The speed of response from WL is invaluable; it means we can make creative changes quickly, ensuring that designers get exactly what they need.”
The Old Vic operates with a lean in-house lighting team, requiring a hands-on approach from its Head of Lighting. Andrew explains: “My role covers everything from ensuring productions run smoothly to supporting lighting designers and sourcing the right equipment for each show. I oversee all prep work and lead the fit-ups at the theatre, while also managing the team responsible for keeping the productions running night after night. As a team of three, we work closely together to make sure everything happens seamlessly. Occasionally, we also assist other departments with filming and special events, using our skillset to support the wider theatre.”

Every Old Vic production brings fresh technical challenges, and Oedipus was no exception. The production required a versatile lighting design to seamlessly transition between contemporary dance sequences and dramatic theatre scenes. Andrew continues: “For this production, we had to blend different lighting styles to complement both the choreography and the play. We used a combination of traditional Source Fours and generics alongside newer fixtures like the Ayrton Perseo, which we hadn’t used before but proved to be incredibly reliable with a powerful output. We also incorporated Martin MAC Ones, allowing us to create a fresh and distinctive design. The production ran smoothly, but during the preview period, we had to adapt quickly to meet the creative team’s evolving needs. This is where our relationship with WL was invaluable

— their understanding of our requirements meant we could source the right fixtures at the right time.”
Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important consideration for The Old Vic’s lighting department, and Andrew is actively working to improve energy efficiency within the venue.
“We’re currently analysing our power usage to make more sustainable choices. It’s not just about switching to LED but understanding the power consumption differences between generic and LED fixtures, including the standby power requirements of LED units. We’re gathering data to inform our future decisions. Beyond equipment, we’re also committed to reusing materials wherever possible and tracking our progress using the Green Theatre Book metrics. Sustainability is ingrained in our team’s mindset, and we’re working to make meaningful changes wherever we can.”

WL’s Hire Business Development Manager, Stuart Porter, highlights the strength of the ongoing partnership: “It’s fantastic to continue working with Andrew and his team at The Old Vic. Their productions are always diverse and creatively ambitious, often with tight prep and turnaround times. We’re proud to support them with high-quality equipment and a responsive service, ensuring they have everything they need to bring their designs to life. Our workshop team ensures that every piece of kit is prepped to the highest standard, so that the team can focus on bringing each show to life. Additionally, with sustainability at the forefront of our operations, we have earned key accreditations, including B Corp and ISO 14001, enabling us to align with The Old Vic’s sustainability commitments.”

With Oedipus running until the end of the month, all eyes are on the upcoming Olivier Awards. Best of luck to the entire team — we can’t wait to see how many awards the production takes home!
Photography by Manuel Harlan

Leading UK manufacturer unveils its latest high-performance lighting solution for data centres and large-scale retail.

Tamlite Lighting is launching the Linear Pro Max at Data Centre World (12-13 March 2025), introducing a new generation lighting solution designed for fast, flexible installation in data centres and large-scale retail environments.

By integrating the trunking, electrical components, and quick-release luminaires into a single module system, the Linear Pro Max minimises downtime, optimises efficiency, and enhances sustainability.

As data centres grow to meet AI, cloud computing, and e-commerce demands, operators must optimise energy efficiency and performance. Lighting is key for compliance, energy savings, and minimal maintenance requirements. The Linear Pro Max is engineered to meet these challenges, ensuring fast installation and high-performance illumination for server aisles.

These features also make the Linear Pro Max an ideal lighting solution for large-scale retail environments, providing continuous-row illumination that enhances product visibility, minimises glare, and improves customer navigation and overall experience.

Engineered for data centres and large-scale retail

The Linear Pro Max is designed to meet the specific demands of data centres and expansive retail spaces. By integrating advanced components into a streamlined system, it enhances efficiency, flexibility, and performance while reducing operational costs. Key benefits include:

Fast and flexible installation, reducing labour costs and minimising downtime.
High energy efficiency of up to 180 lm/W, reducing power consumption, and supporting sustainability goals.

Smart lighting integration with VISION, Tamlite’s intelligent lighting control system. VISION provides tailored, solution-based controls that optimise energy efficiency and enhance performance, from simple occupancy sensing to fully addressable DALI emergency test and monitoring, across single or multiple rooms or floors.
Customisable optics, including wide and narrow beam variants, to suit different layouts. Options include continuous runs for uniform lighting across a large area or for targeted illumination in specific zones.

Sustainability and compliance

The Linear Pro Max has been designed with sustainability in mind, featuring a lightweight extruded aluminium housing that minimises material waste and enhances recyclability. It is currently being evaluated according CIBSE TM65 for embodied carbon, and CIBSE TM66 for the use of circular economic principles. The results of these evaluations are expected in summer 2025.

Supporting the rapid growth of data centres

According to new research from CBRE, European data centre markets are projected to add 937 megawatts (MW) of new supply in 2025. If this data centre supply is delivered, it will set a record for Europe, representing an increase of 282MW more than the 655MW of capacity delivered last year.

Over 57% of this capacity will be delivered in key markets such as Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Dublin (FLAPD). With demand outpacing supply, operators must focus on energy-efficient infrastructure to manage power and sustainability goals.

Stephen Biggs, National Category Manager at Tamlite Lighting, comments:

“The Linear Pro Max’s ultra-efficient design, combined with seamless smart controls, makes it the ideal solution to reduce energy consumption, enhance visibility, and future-proof data centre operations. As demand for data centre space increases, optimised lighting solutions like the Linear Pro Max are set to play a pivotal role in improving efficiency and sustainability of these facilities.”

For more product details about the Linear Pro Max, please visit Tamlite Lighting