The London School of Economics and Political Science: Vera Anstey Room

AV INSTALLED

Samsung MicroLED Wall

Sony Displays

Q-SYS PTZ Cameras

Shure Ceiling Mics

Fohhn Speakers

Q-SYS DSP

Q-SYS Touch Panel

JM Supplies Lectern

Mersive Solstice

Q-SYS NV-32-H Core Endpoint Unit

Q-SYS NV-21-HU Endpoints

Gude PDUs

​​​​​​​Audio visual case study​​​​​​​

Located in the historic Old Building at the London School of Economics (LSE), The Vera Anstey Room (VAR) is a versatile space that can accommodate up to 30 people for board meetings, presentations and seminars.

Named after the trailblazing economist and former LSE lecturer Anstey, the room’s audio visual capabilities have evolved greatly since its naming in Anstey’s honour in 1976. Approaching the 50th anniversary of this landmark, the University sought to upgrade the room’s system in 2025 with new display, control, audio and lecture capture technology.

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GVAV were proud to extend a long and successful relationship with LSE in renewing this space, aiming to bring it in line with modern standards for teaching, in-person meeting and adding hybrid functionality.

Pictured above, set up for a board meeting, the versatile VAR room can be arranged with a variety of seating configurations depending on specific use cases. Due to the dynamic nature of the space, viewability of displays was a top priority, along with accessible in-room content sharing and the ability for externals to seamlessly connect with meetings and teaching sessions.

To do

Replacing an old projection system, the centrepiece of the room is a 110" Samsung IAB Series MicroLED wall, supported by GVAV’s specialist LED partner PSCo, the new all-in-one LED display offers improved image clarity and brightness in this well-lit space. As part of a wider refresh of the room, a new supporting wall was built to support the display with provisions for a maintenance space behind. The LED wall’s 1.26 mm pitch micro‑LED panel supports full HD for ultra‑fine clarity at close viewing distances, offering clear and vibrant visuals for everyone in the room - even with natural light pouring in through the windows. Around the room, three wall-mounted 65" Sony 4K repeater screens have been installed to ensure that content remains visible and legible regardless of the seating plan.

For the benefit of external participants, Q-SYS NC‑12x80 PTZ cameras have been installed above each display for full capture coverage of teaching sessions or meetings via the University’s chosen video conferencing provider or lecture capture service such as Panopto. These cameras were chosen for their 12x optical zoom and auto-framing capability, as well as their seamless integration with the wider Q-SYS ecosystem.

Two Shure MXA920 ceiling microphones have been mounted above the space, allowing high-quality audio capture no matter how the room is arranged. Two Fohhn LXP‑60 line array loudspeakers are installed on the side walls, providing clear and even sound distribution for presentations and content playback. Audio processing is handled centrally via a Q‑SYS Core 110f V2 DSP.

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At the front of the room, a new height-adjustable JM Lectern Quantum Graduate lectern is integrated with a Q-SYS touch panel. This gives users full control of the AV system including camera presets and input options. Teaching staff can use the University PC to show content on the room’s displays, or bring their own device connecting wirelessly via a Mersive Solstice device or through wired USB-C or HDMI input options.

    

To do

A network of Q-SYS equipment underpins the entire AV system, with central control and processing handled by a Q‑SYS NV‑32‑H core capable endpoint unit. This device manages all audio and video routing within the room, acting as an AV switcher and providing USB bridging to conferencing platforms so all video, audio and control elements can be seamlessly passed to a connected device.

Six Q‑SYS NV‑21‑HU endpoints have also been deployed to provide flexible video input/output options.

System power is managed via two Gude power distribution units (PDUs) installed within the equipment rack. These provide clean and protected power delivery to critical equipment, including the LED wall and Q‑SYS network endpoints. The PDUs also allow LSE’s in-house IT and AV teams to power down the system remotely or on a schedule further enhancing the environmental options for this space.

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GVAV’s technical team worked closely with the University throughout this project to deliver a modern, dynamic AV upgrade within the architectural constraints of the Old Building. The new system provides a versatile and robust AV environment featuring the Q-SYS ecosystem and a vibrant new LED display, supporting a wide range of use cases without compromising on ease of use.

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“The Vera Anstey Room presented a challenge, integrating cutting-edge AV technology into a heritage space that hosts some of the School’s most important committees and meetings.

GVAV delivered a seamless solution that respected the room’s character while enabling modern collaboration. Their implementation of a Q-SYS camera system was key to managing the room’s flexible layout, ensuring speakers are always in frame without manual intervention. The addition of a high-impact video wall has transformed the room into a truly stand-out space.”

Mark Seaton

AV Manager, Data and Technology Services (DTS), LSE

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