Скачать или смотреть McConnells Distillery Project

The McConnell’s Distillery project arose from the need to create an immersive and accessible visitor experience within the historic and highly challenging environment of the Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast. Originally built in the 1800s, this former prison has been repurposed as a tourist destination and working distillery, reviving the McConnell’s name—one of the oldest whiskey brands in the world. The goal was not only to bring the distillery to life but also to ensure that each visitor could experience the story of McConnell’s whiskey and the Gaol’s unique history through a high-quality, engaging, and intuitive audiovisual system.

The Gaol’s construction presented significant challenges. Thick stone walls, narrow corridors, slate-plated floors, and confined prisoner cells were never intended for the type of modern audio-visual integration required for guided tours and live experiences. These architectural features created difficult acoustic conditions, required highly customised equipment placement, and limited traditional cabling solutions. Additionally, the venue’s function as both a tourist attraction and an operational distillery meant that the AV solution had to be not only immersive but also robust, user-friendly, and scalable, supporting simultaneous tour groups and future expansion.

Rea Sound was commissioned to design and implement an AV system that could overcome these structural challenges while enhancing every aspect of the visitor journey—from the entrance foyer to the final bar stop. The aim was to deliver a seamless, engaging, and inclusive experience for all visitors, including those with hearing impairments, while preserving the architectural and historical integrity of the site.