Africa Hall is the home of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital city. The historic building has stood as a proud symbol of progress for the continent since its completion in 1961. Africa Hall was the birthplace of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, laying the groundwork for today’s African Union. To preserve the hall’s rich history for future generations, renovation works started in 2015. The renovation project was needed to maintain the hall’s historical and cultural integrity while upgrading it to meet contemporary standards. Included in the renovation were state-of-the-art technologies to support an increased number of delegations from the African Union, which had grown to more than 54 member states.
Extensive construction work began after funding was approved in 2015, and integrator Telmaco was awarded the contract for IT, networking, AV control, sound reinforcement and real-time translation systems in 2022. The Greece-based integrator was tasked with updating the main Plenary Hall and conference venue. As part of the works, an IPTV and digital signage solution was sought to distribute video content as well as display signage across endpoints throughout the building. “Telmaco was seeking to integrate a high quality, easy-to-use, building-wide solution to allow its team to manage and distribute video content and signage throughout the site,” says Yaron Comarov, Managing Director, VITEC. “Having worked with Telmaco before, we were delighted to suggest a complete system to cater to the requirements of this ambitious project.”
It was important that the refurbishment maintained the character of the building and remained sympathetic to its original design, and great efforts were made to keep to retain its unique aspects. As part of works, the original 150m² stained-glass triptych mural (titled “The Total Liberation of Africa”) which encapsulates the past, present and future of Africa, was painstakingly disassembled, cleaned and restored.
Telmaco specified a range of VITEC hardware and software, including DVB gateways, encoders, Avedia Server, ArtioView and ArtioSign, and 15 IPTV signage endpoints. The system is used to acquire licensed feeds as well as local camera feeds, and power digital signage throughout the building, stretching as far as displays in the adjacent Visitor Entry Building. All video content is distributed via VITEC’s IPTV solution. The new IPTV system complemented a range of other works, including a complete technology overhaul of the Plenary Room, where a 13-meter-wide curved LED video wall was installed. Further supportive technologies were added to support an increased number of African Union delegations, including a conference & interpretation system, control automation, cameras and loudspeakers.
“Telmaco did a fantastic job with the audiovisual requirements of this exciting, prestigious project,” adds Yaron. “We established an excellent relationship with the Telmaco team, who were able to integrate all VITEC technology without the need for any troubleshooting. With the easy-to-use Avedia Platform, the team were able to create an engaging and informative digital signage experience, as well as manage all required live feed and deploy video across endpoints as necessary. The IPTV and digital signage system is fully scalable, with the option to easily add additional endpoints and upgrades without work to the infrastructure, should further expansion be required.
“We are extremely proud of the pivotal role our company played in the remodelling of iconic Africa Hall,” says Vassilis Kyriazis, Electrical & Electronic Engineer, MS COO – Audiovisual Division, Telmaco. “The integration of VITEC’s solution has transformed the delegate experience, providing them with access to vital information and engaging content throughout the building. We’ve helped create a modern, dynamic environment that reflects the importance of this historic venue, and we are confident it will serve well, future generations of African leaders.”
Africa Hall is the home of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital city. The historic building has stood as a proud symbol of progress for the continent since its completion in 1961. Africa Hall was the birthplace of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963, laying the groundwork for today’s African Union. To preserve the hall’s rich history for future generations, renovation works started in 2015. The renovation project was needed to maintain the hall’s historical and cultural integrity while upgrading it to meet contemporary standards. Included in the renovation were state-of-the-art technologies to support an increased number of delegations from the African Union, which had grown to more than 54 member states.
Extensive construction work began after funding was approved in 2015, and integrator Telmaco was awarded the contract for IT, networking, AV control, sound reinforcement and real-time translation systems in 2022. The Greece-based integrator was tasked with updating the main Plenary Hall and conference venue. As part of the works, an IPTV and digital signage solution was sought to distribute video content as well as display signage across endpoints throughout the building. “Telmaco was seeking to integrate a high quality, easy-to-use, building-wide solution to allow its team to manage and distribute video content and signage throughout the site,” says Yaron Comarov, Managing Director, VITEC. “Having worked with Telmaco before, we were delighted to suggest a complete system to cater to the requirements of this ambitious project.”
It was important that the refurbishment maintained the character of the building and remained sympathetic to its original design, and great efforts were made to keep to retain its unique aspects. As part of works, the original 150m² stained-glass triptych mural (titled “The Total Liberation of Africa”) which encapsulates the past, present and future of Africa, was painstakingly disassembled, cleaned and restored.
Telmaco specified a range of VITEC hardware and software, including DVB gateways, encoders, Avedia Server, ArtioView and ArtioSign, and 15 IPTV signage endpoints. The system is used to acquire licensed feeds as well as local camera feeds, and power digital signage throughout the building, stretching as far as displays in the adjacent Visitor Entry Building. All video content is distributed via VITEC’s IPTV solution. The new IPTV system complemented a range of other works, including a complete technology overhaul of the Plenary Room, where a 13-meter-wide curved LED video wall was installed. Further supportive technologies were added to support an increased number of African Union delegations, including a conference & interpretation system, control automation, cameras and loudspeakers.
“Telmaco did a fantastic job with the audiovisual requirements of this exciting, prestigious project,” adds Yaron. “We established an excellent relationship with the Telmaco team, who were able to integrate all VITEC technology without the need for any troubleshooting. With the easy-to-use Avedia Platform, the team were able to create an engaging and informative digital signage experience, as well as manage all required live feed and deploy video across endpoints as necessary. The IPTV and digital signage system is fully scalable, with the option to easily add additional endpoints and upgrades without work to the infrastructure, should further expansion be required.
“We are extremely proud of the pivotal role our company played in the remodelling of iconic Africa Hall,” says Vassilis Kyriazis, Electrical & Electronic Engineer, MS COO – Audiovisual Division, Telmaco. “The integration of VITEC’s solution has transformed the delegate experience, providing them with access to vital information and engaging content throughout the building. We’ve helped create a modern, dynamic environment that reflects the importance of this historic venue, and we are confident it will serve well, future generations of African leaders.”
