Akmerkez shopping mall in Istanbul has been fitted with an Absen XD6 LED display screen by digital signage partner Sistem9 and systems integrator Astel LED in order to meet the requirements of its global advertising partners.
Located in the Etiler neighbourhood, the mall attracts 14 million people a year and also boasts office and residential towers.
Akmerkez has more than 200 retailers over four floors, occupying 35,000sqm. The installation is Turkey’s largest with a 6mm small pixel pitch, the screen measuring in at 6.4m (W) x 13.44m (H), or 86.02sqm. It also addresses all the crucial considerations when designing for this type of environment: an outdoor façade and high traffic location where both quality and round the clock reliability are paramount.
The screen is situated by the ornamental pool area at the centre of the mall – identified as the best site with a 270-degree angle to reach the maximum number of customers. It was a location not without its challenges, however. Adding complexity to the installation process was an inclined surface on which to mount the screen, in addition to the humidity from the pool and ventilation system in the mall, which expelled warm air directly in the path of the screen. Due to the prominent location, extra care had to be taken throughout the installation phase in order not to disturb visitors’ enjoyment of the mall.
Serkan Arabaci, VP of Astel LED, the systems integrator partnering with signage operator Sistem9 on the project, was responsible for coordinating the teams on this high visibility project. “The Absen XD6’s features undoubtedly helped us to overcome some of the challenges we faced with the project throughout the design and installation process,” said Arabaci. “The screen viewing angle is great; the product is lightweight at less than 40kg per square metre and much thinner than competitor products.
“With these features, alongside a special bracket system designed by our engineers, we were able to address the sloping façade. Fans were installed to eliminate the effects of the ventilation system and humidity. Easy to install, the whole project was completed in a few days only.”
Selen Guler, Absen Europe business development manager, Turkey commented: “The XD6 comes into its own in this kind of environment, and clearly addresses the necessity for a quality and reliable solution. With features such as easy front and rear access for maintenance and remote screen control which links to Sistem9’s Vision Digital software, the operator has complete control over the content in real time. What’s more, with a shallow thickness of just 106mm, it saves valuable space in retail environments, whilst upholding our unwavering commitment to exceptional image quality.”
Arabaci added: “In addition to the obvious benefits the product has to offer, Absen Europe’s team of engineers made a great contribution to the smooth running and delivery of the project, helping us to overcome any obstacles and to meet the tight installation schedule, delivering the product ahead of the agreed date.”
Harun R. Akol, marketing and corporate communication manager at Sistem9, explained: “With experience garnered through our management of over 40,000 screens in 18 countries, we are within reach of our goal of becoming a top three player in the world of digital signage. Reliability and quality are at the heart of our success and we know it when we see it. Absen’s XD6 more than ticked these boxes and enabled the delivery of this project to the client’s satisfaction, with Akmerkez now providing a prestigious virtual display window for some of the world’s leading brands.”
Arabaci concluded: “Working with Absen on this project was a pleasure. Reliability and quality are imperative for a digital display in a location with such high visibility; the product we selected needed to be up to the task of constant use and offer perfect image quality. We could have used a bigger pixel pitch but it wouldn’t have delivered the desired clarity. We knew that the Absen XD6 had a great track record in exactly this kind of scenario, and the result speaks for itself.”
