As one of the world’s most famous seats of learning, England’s Oxford University is
renowned for delivering the highest standards of education. But following the
opening of two Harvard-style lecture theatres within the University’s Blavatnik
School of Government, Renkus-Heinz Iconyx digitally steered array loudspeakers
are relied upon to ensure classes are always understood.

Opened in September 2012 and originally based across three temporary sites, the
Blavatnik School of Government is named for its benefactor, philanthropist Leonard
Blavatnik, a Russian-born US citizen now based in the UK. Courtesy of a £75million
donation, the school is now housed in its own permanent home, designed by award-
winning architects Herzog and de Meuron. Located in the heart of historic Oxford,
the building has been designed to deliver minimal environmental impact while
offering flexible, contemporary teaching spaces – including the two lecture theatres.
Its challenge is to help create the next generation of political thinkers.

But while the design of both theatres – a horseshoe configuration reflecting the style
of Harvard University – brings students and lecturers closer together, it created a
challenge all of its own – understanding the lectures. The combination of a curved
rear wall, metal-framed ceilings and wooden floors all served to create the kind of
reverberation that can confuse even the brightest mind.

Now, pairs of Renkus-Heinz Iconyx IC-8-RII digitally steered array loudspeakers
serve each theatre, having been discretely installed into recesses at either side of
the lecturer’s podium. Custom painted colour-matched enclosures guarantee that
the speakers go unnoticed, even as they make certain that hard, reflective surfaces
are avoided and that every lecture is delivered with flawless intelligibility.

UK-based Renkus-Heinz distributor POLARaudio was brought into the project by
consultant Hewshott International, while UK-based systems integrator Snelling
Business Systems conducting the installation.

“Our experiences of installing Iconyx into some very acoustically challenging
heritage sites left us in no doubt that it was the ideal solution for the school,”
explained Stuart Leader, Installation Manager at POLARaudio. “Although it’s a brand
new, state-of-the-art building and the lecture theatres met every environmental and
educational requirement, the nature of their design meant that they were
significantly acoustically compromised. The Iconyx speakers overcame the potential
pitfalls to the great satisfaction of the client. Given that communication sits at the
heart of the Blavatnik global vision, Iconyx is playing its own part in that respect by
delivering audio clarity in a crucial area of the school’s function.”

“The School is very impressed with the qualities of the Iconyx speakers,” adds
Steve Royans, Sales Manager of Snelling Business Systems. “They offer a clarity
that is absolutely essential in this multi-faceted academic environment and achieve
this in spite of the acoustic challenges presented by the rooms.”