Watch The Money

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The largest installation of Christie MicroTiles in EMEA, at the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in the City’s Square Mile has been unveiled.

The installation of 508 MicroTiles in the LSE’s large Atrium in Paternoster Square follows a recommendation by CMS consultant Jerry Collins and a subsequent tender won by long-standing Christie Partner, Focus 21 Visual Communications Ltd. 
 
The installation marked the end of a long search to replace ‘The Source’, a moving sculpture previously installed in the stunning Atrium, with a unique visual display. It was commissioned to coincide with the LSE new market open ceremony in May this year, signalling the start of London market trading for companies listing on LSE markets.
 
For the first time visitors could see market data, bespoke company content and live news streaming from CNBC across the advanced Christie MicroTiles display and bespoke visual communication technology, which formed the backdrop to a giant central illuminated globe and a bespoke ‘market open’ glass block mechanism.
 

 With its ‘building block’ longevity and extreme brightness, Christie MicroTiles represents a breakthrough in display technology, offering video and data display media in varying shapes and sizes, which are complementary to their environment.
 
Visitors entering the London Stock Exchange are now greeted by two columns of MicroTiles in a 1 x 5 configuration (which are also portable, with their own power supply). As they advance further into the Atrium their view is directed to either side by two strips of MicroTiles, each consisting of 29 and 31 tiles respectively, and on to an impressive video wall that uses 132 tiles in an 11 x 12 array. The video wall, in unison with the other arrays, streams a variety of content throughout the day including live news and market data from CNBC.
 
The displays are managed by six Christie Spyder X20 processors with content offered from a variety of sources, including Scala Infochannel. A Crestron controller manages lighting, audio, live camera feed and orchestrates an automated opening and closing ceremony of the market. At the same time there is the ability to send live broadcast feeds to the LSE’s in-house studio for onward transmission to news channels.
 
A further MicroTiles video wall (in 8 x 6 array) has been installed on the balcony overlooking the atrium and can mimic the content on the main video wall. On the ground level there is a mosaic of 46 MicroTiles of different depths and heights, while outside the Atrium, visitors are kept updated with another set of four columns of MicroTiles (in a 2 x 4 array).
 
With soaring light flooding the space right up to the seventh floor glass roof, the aim was for a world class display that could operate in real time and create a ceremony that would on the one hand raise the profile of clients and at the same time be symbolic.
 
The installation of 508 MicroTiles on a single site was an exciting yet challenging journey for all parties. But they answered all criteria in terms of their ability to stack and fix such large quantities of tiles to a wall, as well as heat dissipation, power consumption, fire certification and usage — with additional cooling fans added as a precaution.
 
The company 10 Squared was contracted to produce one MicroTiles ‘sculpture’ as a floating mosaic, working with TPS who produced all the main support structures.
 
In addition to benefitting members of the Exchange, MicroTiles will also provide a promotional tool for other market open and external events — such as the 2012 Olympics and London Marathon — while the London Stock Exchange’s events team will also have the opportunity to sell the space. James Belso, UK Channel Sales Manager, Christie said “This has proved to be a perfect example of how multiple companies should work together to create such a fantastic end result.
 
The timescale between concept and sign off was very short and the success of the installation is very much a testament to all those involved. Such a prestigious deployment of MicroTiles - in combination with the Christie Vista Spyder X20’s - provides an important addition to large UK Fixed Installations and demonstrates the importance of providing unique solutions with value coupled with low ongoing costs of ownership.”
 
Dale Miller, Christie’s EMEA Vice President, added, “We are delighted that Christie MicroTiles has been selected for such a prestigious venue. Both the high footfall of the London Stock Exchange and the paramount information displayed are perfect testimonials of the trust they put in this revolutionary solution.”