Grow within the BCC’s professional cyber-forward community
Launching in 2022, The BCC (Business Cyber Centre), based in Chippenham, Wiltshire, is the UK’s first business cyber centre. As part of the SWLEP, BCC aims to make all UK businesses more cyber secure, building a powerful professional community that enables organisations to grow in confidence and resilience.
Preparing companies to be future ready
We believe that future-ready companies grow by scaling up their ability to learn and innovate. The BCC equips businesses to do this by bringing together world-class resources, technology and opportunities to deliver an ecosystem dedicated to supporting and enabling the safer growth and cyber security of UK businesses.
Visually Connected was therefore delighted to be brought on board to contribute to this forward-thinking project during its building and install phase. We delivered a building-wide audio visual hybrid workspace technology solution to create a digital rich user-centric experience throughout the site.
An ambitious project that exceeded expectations
From concept, the £3.7m government-funded investment was mobilised in less than two years and the 3-storey building was up and running in a little over 6 months – a fraction of the time and cost of its counterparts in Wales and Scotland.
The BCC is not just an aesthetically pleasing environment but an operationally efficient ‘multi-use’ environment that combines architecture, design and integrated technology solutions including audio, video, video conferencing, digital signage, control systems, acoustics panelling, IT, network infrastructure & security and access solutions. The BCC is not just a space where people can collaborate and innovate without barriers, but a community and ecosystem committed to helping businesses grow safely.
This is no ordinary building – the technology solution is equal in its operational efficiency and procured to the level needed for the focus to remain entirely on its users.
The latest audiovisual solutions for a versatile environment
The BCC is an inspirational multi-functional space that has been designed to flex and adapt for future growth. Innovation expands to all aspects of the site’s operation, from reception to its learning and meeting spaces to the breakout and recreational areas. It has invested in the latest interior design and technology in order to facilitate learning creativity and productivity for the businesses and individuals who use its spaces.
The building has many offices for rent, coworking areas, a large multi-purpose café and events area and, on the top floor, an impressive multifunctional conferencing and training space, known as ‘co//lab’, which includes retractable wall partitions that make it suited to functions of all types, from multi-day conferences for 140 people to team away days and smaller meetings. The co//lab is a modern hybrid space where its users can seamlessly connect through their preferred apps with their own devices with onsite conferencing technology.
High-end, flexibility and simplicity are at the heart of Visually Connected’s design; the focus was to create a user-friendly whole building audio visual technology solution that delivers a high-tech, digitally rich experience throughout its learning spaces, commercial offices, collaboration spaces and social areas.
It is a modern hybrid space where its users can seamlessly connect through their preferred apps with their own devices, onsite technology and wherever they are with the same way of working in every meeting space.
co//work
The co/work space is ideal for freelancers, remote workers and entrepreneurs with collaborative desks, private offices, working pods, soundproof phone booths and breakout spaces.
The co//work space is bookable by the day, weekly and monthly memberships. The co//work area has two meeting rooms that can hold 6 to 10 people, have wireless screensharing technology and offer flexible bookings with full, half day or hourly rates. Attendees can connect with unified communications through their desired remote video conferencing solution such as Teams, Zoom etc.
co//lab
The ‘co//lab’ conference suite is fitted with the latest workplace place technology including ceiling-mounted microphones, enabling full hybrid meeting capability as standard. The suite can be used as three individual meeting spaces for between 16-to 60, two rooms or one large conference suite for up to 140 individuals. Each individual room is fitted with a 65” display, a camera and a sharing device for easy content sharing and video conferencing.
Common across all co//lab rooms is a focus on consistent, high-quality user experience, standardised control of all solutions.
When the conference room is opened to combine two or three rooms, users benefit from a 98” digital display together with two high-end cameras, with one camera capturing the audience and the other following the presenter. The individual 65” displays installed in each of the rooms can be used a repeater displays or show additional content if required.
All the different technology features can be easily selected for different room combinations via a simple user interface on an iPad.
co//lab has a dedicated breakout area with ample soft seating, soft cubbies for quiet working. A further breakout space is available for larger events, which includes a soundproof booth for quiet phone calls.
co//lab features:
- 65” 4K display screen in each room
- 98” 4K display screen when booking in co//lab 1 & 2 or 1, 2 & 3 combined
- sharing device for content sharing and video conferencing
- audience cameras in each room and one camera covering the full room
- the latest presenter tracking camera
- ceiling mounted microphones using automatic dynamic beamforming technology – highlights voice and reduces noise
- iPad for easy room selection
- controlled lighting levels
Office spaces
The centre has a suite of 12 private office spaces suitable for 6 to 12 people. Offices are designed for BCC businesses that work with key local customers, occupiable by license on a 12-month basis. All offices are fitted with 50” display screens and have the same easy-to-use solutions for connecting devices to presentation platforms for content sharing. Attendees can connect with unified communications through remote video conferencing solutions such as Teams, Zoom etc.