CASE STUDY / CORPORATE
CORPORATE | FORMER CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, PALACE OF THE NATIONAL CONGRESS OF CHILE
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The Palace of the Former National Congress, located in the heart of Santiago, Chile, is one of the most representative symbols of democratic life in the country. The French neoclassical building was inaugurated in 1976 and was the home of the Chamber of Deputies and the Chamber of Senators of the South American country.
In 1990, when the National Congress moved to its new location in the neighboring city of Valparaíso, the building became an alternate venue for official events and institutional appointments, in addition to providing a library for senators and deputies.
Various remodeling projects began on the historic building in 2021 to provide adequate voting systems, new tiered seating, as well modern audiovisual technology.
Chile’s National Monuments Council, the Chilean government agency dedicated to the preservation and upkeep of special natural, historical and cultural sites in the country, meticulously supervised the renovation of the building, including installation of the technological systems.
The Bose Professional Solution
The council worked with David Abarca, head of the Chamber of Deputies’ IT department and manager of the technological renovation of the former Chamber of Deputies.
“The sound renovation part of the project required meticulous planning to preserve the integrity of this historic building, provide the best possible intelligibility, and reduce the room’s reverberation effect,” said Abarca.
THE BOSE PROFESSIONAL SOLUTION
Installation of the speakers and wiring systems fell under the parameters and supervision of the National Monuments Council. The semicircular hall presented a notorious reverberation challenge, produced by the wide walls, balconies, and dome shaped ceilings. Clear acoustics and voice intelligibility were key goals with the installation, as the beloved space is now primarily used for speeches and presentations.
Pro AV Technologia, specialists in audiovisual solutions, were the integrator chosen to lead the historic project. Pro AV Technologia partnered with MMT Chile, the Chilean distributor of Bose Professional, and Bose Professional’s engineers, to conduct a system simulation of the hall’s acoustics, based on the chamber’s architectural blueprints and building materials.
Based on the outcomes from the detailed acoustic study, the audio team designed the space with four MSA12X loudspeakers in a line array configuration, two on each side of the presidium and at a height of three meters to cover the seating area. This system provided a wide vertical coverage of 160° so that sound reached each seat clearly and intelligibly. And to cover the presidium area, which can seat up to six people, Pro AV Tecnología installed a pair of FreeSpace DS 40SE loudspeakers on each side. These loudspeakers were also mounted at a height of three meters and were directed toward the presidium seating.
In addition, to facilitate volume control, two ControlCenter CC-2 zone controls were installed inside the session room.
The discreet design, slim shape, placement and matte white color of the loudspeakers allow them to blend seamlessly into the assembly hall.
Pleased with the solution and service quality, Abarca praised the results, “The audio system installed in the former Chamber of Deputies satisfactorily meets all the coverage, sound pressure, and intelligibility requirements. The installation was accomplished cleanly and carefully, respecting the rules for preserving the chamber of sessions. The loudspeakers do not distract attention, and due to their design and color, they practically blend in with the shape of the walls and columns on which they were mounted.”
Claudio Ibarra, general manager of Pro AV Tecnología, elaborated on the partnerships, “We had the support of MMT Chile, who assured us the product’s availability, Bose Professional engineers used ControlSpace Designer software to conduct a system simulation and determine optimum speaker placement to optimize clarity in the reverberant space. The project of the precinct of the former Chamber of Deputies is very relevant, both for the historical importance of the building and for the visibility of our company. It may seem like a small project, but it certainly requires a lot of precision so that everything will run smoothly, from the deadlines and the progress of the project to the final delivery.”
“We had the support of MMT Chile, who assured us the product’s availability, and Bose Professional engineers were our reliable guides.”
— Claudio Ibarra
General Manager Pro AV Tecnología
INTEGRATORS
Partner: PRO AV TECNOLOGÍA
Pro AV Tecnología is a Chilean audiovisual integration company that offers solutions for educational and government institutions, media, corporate, and AV equipment rental companies. Pro AV Tecnología uses Bose Professional products in many of its projects and works closely with MMT Chile, the authorized wholesale distributor of Bose Professional in Chile.
Partner: MMT
MMT is a Chilean company specializing in distributing audiovisual products for professional applications. It has offices, a showroom in the city of Santiago de Chile, and a group of specialists responsible for providing advice to AV integra-tors. Since 2019, MMT has been Chile’s wholesale distributor of Bose Professional products.
