Genelec immerses visitors in Sami culture at the Siida Museum

To create a landscape that reflects the sounds of Lapland's nature, thirty systems have been installed 4430 of Genelec, plus a couple of models 8010 and a subwoofer 7040.

He Sami Museum and Nature Center (Siida) It is one of the most popular destinations in Northern Lapland. Dedicated to the culture of the indigenous people, has undergone a major renovation to accommodate a greater number of visitors and bring the establishment up to modern standards.

As part of the process, Caverion Suomi Oy, technical systems specialist based in Oulu, supplied and installed a complete speaker solution Genelec Smart IP on a backbone network Dante AoIP. The sound designer Aki Päivärinne, of Oioi Collective (experts in interactive experience design), was in charge of the sound design of the new exhibitions.

The Sami live in harmony with the lands they inhabit. Their traditional livelihoods include coastal fishing, fur trapping, herding sheep and, of course, semi-nomadic reindeer husbandry.

The newly renovated museum building houses a brand new exhibition where culture meets nature, using the latest in museum technology to display and celebrate Sami heritage. The main architect of the new exhibition is Harri Koskinen, the industrial designer who has collaborated closely with Genelec for many years.

“My mission was to recreate a landscape that reflected the multifaceted sounds of nature in Lapland., and design a technical solution for it”, explica Päivärinne. “I knew the open environment of the museum hall would be an interesting acoustic and thematic challenge., since all stations are presented in the same room. I wanted to create a sound environment that would serve as a natural backdrop, that contextualizes Sami culture. Taking into account that the Sami continue to live in close relationship with nature, an interaction between nature and culture seemed an appropriate starting point”.

When implementing sound design, Pästages.. “I knew I would use Genelec speakers because, in terms of quality, detail and transparency, There is nothing that can rival them.. Besides, It is a Finnish brand, and in a museum that celebrates indigenous culture in an exhibition designed by Harri Koskinen. It was also a foregone conclusion that we would use Smart IP technology, because Siida's technical infrastructure, recently renovated, relies entirely on Ethernet cabling, which makes it much easier for us to connect to the same network”.

Lauri Riihiaho led the Caverion team, Responsible for Dante network and speaker installation throughout the building. He was impressed by the ease and speed of installation of the Smart IP speakers. “Our task was to install the speakers and configure the network switches for Dante. In total, there were thirty 4430, plus a couple of models 8010, for one of the Sami cultural exhibitions, and a subwoofer 7040, that plays Sami drum sounds”.

Genelec Smart IP Manager software was used to configure the speakers.. A media server Picturall Mark II, equipped with a Dante 32 card×32, acts as the main hub to manage the museum's multimedia content.

“Smart IP is an impressive technology”, Riihiaho continues. “Only one CAT cable is needed to connect the speaker to the network. You don't even have to worry about power outlets, since that same cable supplies power through PoE along with the audio and control signals. Consequently, A Smart IP solution from Genelec is truly a cost-effective option compared to a traditional analog audio system, since it saves money on wiring and installation time”, Riihiaho adds.

“We have increased the surface area of ​​the building by 50%, which allows us to do justice to the richness and diversity of Sami culture and its intimate connection with the natural environment”, explains Minna the Ant, Director of Sales and Narketing.