Municipality of Amsterdam

Background

Within the collaboration with the Municipality of Amsterdam, the council chamber is a central place for decision-making. The existing situation no longer met current requirements in terms of use, technology and accessibility.

There was also a clear ambition to stop treating audiovisual solutions as a standalone add-on and instead make them an integral part of the room and the process. Inclusivity played a key role. For example, an Auracast system with neckloops was selected so that people who are hard of hearing can follow meetings live and fully.

Challenge

The council chamber needed to become an environment where decision-making runs smoothly and transparently. This means everyone must be clearly audible and visible, with clear information provision and a meeting process that can continue without interruptions.

In addition, broader themes played an important role. The chamber had to be inclusive for all users, designed sustainably, and at the same time operate safely and reliably, including during confidential meetings. Everyone must be able to participate in the democratic process, regardless of a disability or role within the chamber. Delivery follows ISO-certified processes, where quality and sustainability are embedded.

Consultancy and approach

From the start, close collaboration took place with the interior architect and the Municipality of Amsterdam’s project manager. The focus was not only on technology, but especially on how the room is used during meetings. Based on this, the recommendation was to fully integrate audiovisual solutions into the design.

Key focus areas included:

• Supporting the meeting process
• Reusing existing materials where possible
• A sustainable and future-proof set-up
• A safe and reliable infrastructure

Existing loudspeakers were retained and redeployed, aligned with the broader design vision. At the same time, an infrastructure was designed that is safe and reliable, and that can switch easily between public and confidential meetings. Both within the chamber and between different meeting spaces of the Municipality of Amsterdam.

Solution

The solution is a fully integrated audiovisual set-up that supports the meeting process without drawing attention to itself. All components work together and align with how the chamber is used day to day. In addition, the clerk’s office and the chair are further supported, allowing them to focus on content rather than technology.

The system is designed so that:

• Speakers are automatically heard and shown on camera
• Information such as agenda items and speaking time is always clearly visible
• An automatic backup recording of the meeting is always available

Security has also been designed for real-world use. By working with a closed system and a central infrastructure, each meeting can determine what stays internal and what may be shared.

Result

The renewed council chamber is an environment where technology and use fully reinforce each other. Audiovisual solutions are no longer a separate element, but contribute directly to the democratic process. With the new oval council table and logical sightlines, council members can see and address one another—supported by the technology.

Meetings are more structured, everyone can follow proceedings clearly, and the role of technology remains in the background. Whether council member, clerk, visitor or press, everyone has the right information at the right moment. This makes the council chamber ready for the future. Within the broader collaboration, work continues on further sustainability and future-proofing of locations, including the further rollout of hybrid working.

Jacqueline van der Aa — Project Manager, Municipality of Amsterdam:
“We are very satisfied with how the collaboration with Heuvelman went. The timeline was tight, but thanks to the dedication of the team we managed to deliver the chamber on time from an AV perspective. The opening week (farewell and swearing-in of the council) ran flawlessly and without disruptions.”

Implemented components

The delivered solution consists of a combination of systems that together support the meeting process:

• Meeting system with 64 discussion units
  With a speaking-time key for fair and structured distribution of speaking time.
• 9 automatic cameras
  For automatic speaker tracking and overview shots, ensuring everything is clearly captured.
• 2 Philips 162-inch LED walls
  For clear display of speakers and automatic display of agenda items.
• 12 ceiling loudspeakers
  Combined with reused speakers, ensuring excellent speech intelligibility.
• Central control via MVI and AMX touch panels
  For simple control and insight into, for example, voting processes.
• 2 confidence monitors
  Overview for the chair to keep meetings running smoothly.
• Closed AV infrastructure with racks
  For secure distribution and control of signals.
• Facilities for press and public
  Including SDI/XLR connections and wireless microphones.
• Accessibility solutions
  Such as Auracast with neckloops, enabling hard-of-hearing participants to follow meetings.

Future vision

The council chamber is part of a broader collaboration in which Heuvelman has been the audiovisual partner of the Municipality of Amsterdam for years. Alongside this project, work continues on further development of AV facilities within the municipality, including enabling hybrid working across multiple locations.

Sustainability, inclusivity and future-proof design remain central. In this way, the collaboration continues to build audiovisual solutions that fit real-world use and strengthen the democratic process within the municipality.

Martijn Koemans — Project Manager, Heuvelman Sound & Vision B.V.:
“Through strong collaboration, both internally and with all external partners, we delivered this user-friendly and modern AV installation for the Municipality of Amsterdam within the agreed timeline. A unique element is the speaking-time key developed specifically for the municipality. This allows speaking time for the different parties to be managed, which was a valuable additional challenge within this project.”