DOUW STEYN's CRESTRON CONTROLLED PALAZZO

Douw Steyn also owns The Saxon, an exclusive boutique hotel in Johannesburg. In 2010 Panavision Evolve automated audio-visual (AV), lighting, and climate control throughout the hotel. This they successfully accomplished using Crestron products, and PROMAG magazine featured the Saxon AV installation as the cover article in 2010 (fourth quarter).

When it came to the job of automating Palazzo Steyn with state-of-the-art technology, Panavision Evolve were the obvious choice. Jaco Potgieter was the system designer on the project, and he was backed up by Panavision Evolve’s Colin Sachs (Programmer) and Nicholaas Potgieter (Install Team Leader), as well as Stephen Falke (Interior Designer), and Rupert Denoon (Crestron Regional Manager). For Jaco, and his team, this was the perfect opportunity to “show off the power and flexibility of Crestron.”

Their brief as integrators for the 3 000m² property, which is on a 2.5ha stand, included lighting control, climate control, AV, and the control of Roman-style aqueducts that encircle the home.

The lighting system comprises around 270 circuits, serving a vast array of lights, including: crystal chandeliers, picture lights, and LED down lights. Keypads were specially fitted with brass cover plates, to match the décor of the house. Touch-screens offer slider control, with press and- hold user pre-sets, and Crestron’s new smart graphics ensure a fresh and appealing design. Motion sensors, installed in various areas, save energy and simplify control.

When the African heat becomes too much for guests, or they are surprised by the evening Highveld chill, they can turn to the closest Crestron touch screen for climate control. Because it’s a big house, the system needs to be powerful enough to handle the complexities of creating different climates in myriad rooms. The Panavision Evolve team installed a 3-Core processor which, thanks to Crestron’s built in Bacnet integration, provides seamless and simple control.

Excessive comfort can give rise to boredom; should this happen guests can, at a touch, activate the AV system. The sheer scale of the Palazzo Steyn AV system demanded a beast of a switcher - capable of ultra-fast digital video/ audio switching, and lossless HD multi-room signal distribution for all types of AV sources.

Jaco chose the Crestron 32x32 DigitalMedia matrix switcher, knowing it has the required roar for such a big and complex project. The size of the home also necessitated a multimode fibre-based system. The Adagio 42-zone background music system ensures that music reaches the various entertainment areas: wine cellar, bar, lounges, drawing room, dining areas, patios, gyms, spa and pool. It even reaches the bathrooms, which have been equipped with motion sensors in order to set the right mood for ablutions: Lights! Music!

 

For those seeking a big-screen thrill there are two cinemas, and both boast the ultimate in surround sound: Crestron’s PROCISE™ range. It’s as good as being at the movies.

 

But Palazzo Steyn is not all about transient pleasures; the Roman style aqueducts encircling the home offer the tranquil delights of flowing water. Crestron gives users control of a large system that pumps the water into a dam, creating a breath-taking waterfall.

The Steyns, together with Panavision Evolve and Crestron, have created a Palazzo fit even for the most demanding Roman emperor, and certainly fit for even the most discerning overseas guests.

As Steyn, the proudly South African founder of Auto & General, said, "My wife and I are looking forward to entertaining our friends and business partners from all over the world at our new residence, while also exposing them to our magnificent country."

 

Friends and partners of the Steyns will also be looking forward to their stay at the Palazzo, where, thanks to the excellent planning and hard work of the Panavision Evolve team, they can expect five star service and entertainment.

 

Panavision Evolve are situated in Kramerville in Johannesburg, and were founded 20 years ago by brothers, Barry and Claude Jardim. They are still directors in the company, along with Jaco Potgieter and Ricky Dos Santos. Panavision Evolve started as a small family concern, but has since evolved into a thriving business employing some 25 dedicated staff.

Jaco describes the company ethos as, “relationship and solutions driven.” He notes: “We’ll deliver solutions to small houses, or big corporates, the size of the job is not the issue. It’s about finding a solution that works for clients.” And, as Jaco points out, Panavision Evolve have a wide array of clients in various sectors, including commercial, hospitality, corporate, training, and residential. Service to these clients includes: automation, building management, green products, and anything AV.

Douw Steyn is one client who has been more than happy with the solutions that Panavision Evolve have delivered, including what they achieved at The Saxon. While the Palazzo Steyn job was relatively big, The Saxon was four times bigger: there were 72 zones that needed separate control functions. When faced with complex jobs like this, Panavision Evolve are thankful for their strategic partnerships with the likes of Crestron and Electrosonic SA. As Jaco notes, “We can lean on them for help with design, when required.”

A perfect example of this was when Crestron helped Panavision Evolve by writing the code for the Bacnet control of the air-conditioning at Palazzo Steyn. Jaco is proud of this industry first, as he is of the installation of Crestron’s PROCISE™ PSPHD high-definition 7.3 surround sound audio processor. The first one of these in the country was in the Panavision Evolve demo room. Palazzo Steyn has two of them, one in the master bedroom and one in the lounge/cinema area.

When probed on the secret to Panavision Evolve’s success Jaco replied: “Our team spirit is high, and we have good, skilled people working for us. We’ve adopted the attitude that we don’t support mediocrity: what you put in is what you get out.