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London’s University of Greenwich has unveiled its Shared Hub for Immersive Future Technologies (SHIFT), a £1 million facility dedicated to advancing multichannel sound composition, immersive audio and visual performance. According to Genelec, its monitoring is central to SHIFT’s success, providing the spatial precision needed for innovative sound production.
At the heart of the new Immersive Sound Lab in the King William Building of the Old Royal Naval College is a 32.4 spherical array of Genelec Smart Active Monitors, comprising 32 8331 three-way monitors and four 7350 subwoofers. Calibrated using GLM software, the system supports high-resolution ambisonic recordings and formats, including Atmos, DTS:X and Auro 3D — pushing creative boundaries in sound composition.
“There was only ever one choice for our new Immersive Lab,” says Andrew Knight-Hill, professor of music and sound arts at the University. “The spatial clarity and accuracy of Genelec’s point source design deliver unmatched immersive experiences.”
With the Immersive Sound Lab, there’s something very special about the focus and clarity of the sound field in the sphere.
Andrew Knight-Hill, professor of music and sound arts, university of greenwich
Preserving heritage
Complementing the lab is the Digital Immersive Theatre, housed a few miles up the road in the historic Victorian swimming baths of Woolwich Bathway. This 200-person capacity venue features a fixed 28.2 Genelec audio system (comprising 8030s, 8050s, 8350s and 7382 subwoofers), which can expand to a 40.2 configuration depending on the project. Combining immersive 360-degree projection mapping, surround sound and dynamic lighting infrastructure, the theater enables a wide range of performances, including those developed in the Immersive Sound Lab.
Despite challenges posed by the historic buildings housing the facilities, innovative infrastructure work by Stage Electrics and the audio expertise of HHB Communications preserved heritage while meeting technical demands. “Every step of the project was guided by close consultation with heritage specialists and the university team to maintain a balance between preservation and technological advancement,” comments Saul Eagles, business development manager at Stage Electrics.
Reflecting on the impact of the Research Centre’s expansion, Knight-Hill remarks, “SHIFT has fostered a real sense of diversity and allows us to work with a vast array of musical styles. With the Immersive Sound Lab, there’s something very special about the focus and clarity of the sound field in the sphere. The coherence and integrity of the spherical array with its coaxial monitors allow you to stand outside it and yet still hear material inside the ‘bubble’ — the imaging doesn’t collapse.”
Looking ahead, Knight-Hill emphasizes the team’s plans for 2025, including a series of Loudspeaker Orchestra events and a focus on making incremental improvements now that SHIFT is fully established. “We’re committed to encouraging people to think about immersive audio as much more than a delivery format. We also want them to explore its potential to shape the creative process and become an expressive dimension.”
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