Montérégie Tourism first secured a high-visibility spot within this ‘power centre,’ then tackled the task of designing its new venue.
“We hired an architectural firm and explained what we wanted to do,” says Fournier. “The building had to be eye-catching on the outside, to draw the attention of drivers on the highway with the promise they would experience something unique and special if they came inside. And once there, the images and atmosphere had to transport them into the region immediately and keep them there throughout their visit.”
Fournier adds consumers are used to seeing video everywhere they go today, whether on tablet computers, smart phones, notebook or desktop screens or digital signs in stores, hotels and other environments. This expectation was another reason Montérégie Tourism wanted to incorporate video into the design scheme, as it would be a good way to capture and keep visitors’ attention.
“Video is a big part of creating a modern atmosphere,” he says.
The interior space was divided into eight unique zones, each focusing on a different aspect of the region, such as cycling and wine tasting. The traffic flow was designed to carry visitors from each zone to the next, without a sense of conflict between them. A boutique was added, allowing customers to purchase wine, cider and other products, along with gift certificates specific to the region.
The Montérégie tourist information centre is divided into eight zones, each focusing on a different aspect of the region, such as wine tasting.
“It feels more like an attraction at a theme park than a visitor centre,” says Fournier.
Integrating digital signage
Rather than simply play conventional videos, Montérégie Tourism worked with Arsenal Media, a Montreal-based developer of customized digital out-of-home (DOOH) content, projects and networks. In fact, the architectural firm worked with Arsenal’s video producers and Genesis Integration’s multimedia network installers from the beginning of the design process.
That proved to be an important decision. Typically, the design process for this type of building begins with the architects’ concepts receiving approval before the audiovisual (AV) integrators and other partners determine how to fit video hardware and software into the structure.
“This way, we were able to produce video to whichever parameters worked within the environment,” says Denys Lavigne, president of Arsenal. “We took into consideration every step as to how the content would be viewed. Given how central the video was going to be, it made sense to involve Genesis and ourselves early, as together we were able to make recommendations for screen placements, including heights and angles, to make sure they were integrated into the surroundings, rather than looking like an add-on. It made a huge difference.”
A total of 23 screens were specified for installation throughout the visitor centre. They ranged from 0.6-m (23-in.) screens for interactive information kiosks to 1.3-m (52-in.) high-definition (HD) displays for each of the eight zones. Genesis sourced commercial displays with a three-year warranty, whereas consumer screens typically offer only a one-year warranty.
“We chose displays on the basis of the quality of their visuals and their reliability, given how heavily these screens will be used,” says Marc Lacroix, assistant director of Genesis. “Montérégie Tourism only gets one chance to make a good impression on most of this centre’s visitors, so it’s critical that everything operates the way it should. The support we get from the manufacturer is outstanding. We have equipment that’s been in the field for more than 10 years and is still working.”
Genesis installed the screens after general construction had been completed. Then, Arsenal began loading content. Among the videos the company developed are a capsule history of the region, a showcase of various local products (e.g. wines) and both short and long promotions for specific sites and businesses.
