Edinburgh-based AV and lighting installer Black Light helped the Gleneagles Hotel refurbish its conference venue for the 2014 Ryder Cup. The project involved the installation of power, data, sound and lighting systems in the hotel’s Gleneagles Suite.
“Our work was part of an overall refurbishment of the suite by designers Sedley Place,” said Black Light’s head of company development, Phil Haldane. “Our role was to help the designers create more flexible lighting and AV options for event organisers. We worked closely with the contractor, Stag Developments, and the main user, Catalyst Event Production Services, to bring this project to fruition.”
The specific project brief was to install lighting and speakers, along with data, power and dimming channels that could be patched to the suite’s various zones.
Black Light was also asked to install a lighting control system that was user friendly and which could automatically split the suite into separately controllable areas. The team opted for an eCue system which has a tablet as a control interface, allowing easy control of light levels, colour control, theatre dimming channels, projector screens and cradles.
The project deadline was very tight (three weeks) due to the upcoming Ryder Cup tournament, which required the use of the Gleaneagles Suite.
“The very short turn-around time created its own challenges,” explained Haldane. “Given the global profile of the Ryder Cup, it was vital that we hit our deadlines and that schedules did not slip. This meant that we had to carefully plan our work and liaise with the other trades working on the project to ensure that the overall refurbishment went to plan.”
“Our light and power installations mean that the Gleneagles suite is now better equipped for the high-tech requirements of event planners and users,” said Haldane. “A wide range of lighting schemes can now be controlled via tablet and touch screens.“
