Sontay has successfully designed and installed a wireless sensor solution for a busy art gallery in Sydney, Australia. The project required a unique solution to ensure temperature and humidity control to allow for preservation of art work, whilst also being dynamic in nature to allow for easy change of exhibition spaces.

 

Located in the heart of Sydney on a vibrant university campus, the University of New South Wales (UNSW) art gallery provides a platform for examining contemporary visual and material culture through exhibitions and public programmes. The UNSW gallery specifically curates the work of leading Australian and international practitioners working in the fields of contemporary art and design. Not only does it offer a space for the presentation of contemporary culture, but it also offers a place for reflection, conversation and education. 

 

Sontay worked in partnership with clients ControlStore to devise a wireless sensor solution for the building which consists of two levels. Due to the nature of the building, unique challenges had to be considered. Firstly, due to the dynamic and transformative nature of exhibition spaces, sensors had to be moveable to enable the curator to have flexibility in how artwork and the space in general was presented. Secondly, as the art storeroom was included in the project, reliable humidity control was vital in ensuring the preservation and longevity of important artworks. 

 

Sontay received drawings from ControlStore with strict criteria for hardware installation and also carried out on-site surveys with the Systems Integrator to ensure the plan was correct from the outset. As a result, a wireless solution was designed, that would provide the movability and flexibility required, whilst remaining stable at all times. The SonNet was specified, along with 19 temperature sensors, five routers, and three BACnet receivers to communicate data straight into the BMS as BACnet objects. 

 

Upon completion of the project, Sontay carried out live testing to ensure functionality. The system remains stable, reliable and operational, with Sontay’s innovative products and expert knowledge enabling artists all over the world to witness their visions come to life in a secure, controlled internal environment.