In the Forbes series BrandVoice, Chinese information and communications technology firm Huawei shares how the CCTV headquarters, designed by the firm of starchitect Rem Koolhaas (OMA), needed a year-long retrofit to allow better WiFi transmission.
CCTV wanted to provide free WiFi throughout its five-million-sf facility to its approximately 10,000 employees, but the building’s predominantly glass material and unconventional floor plan, nicknamed by Chinese netizens as “big pants,” created many blind spots for wireless Internet.
“Particularly in elevators and high-density areas such as studios and newsrooms, WiFi signal transmission was marginal,” writes Lisa R. Melsted, Forbes’ Huawei contributor.
Huawei was tapped to design a system so that every employee, anywhere in the building, can access Internet wirelessly. The firm's solution was to divide the building into different zones and design separate network plans for each.
Forbes has the full story.
Related Stories
BIM and Information Technology | Oct 7, 2015
Skanska and University of Washington offer new BIM program
The 11-week course is available for students and professionals and teaches BIM software skills, virtual design, and construction processes.
Sponsored | BIM and Information Technology | Oct 7, 2015
Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 – designed with the AEC industry in mind
Sasha Reed sits down with Microsoft’s Senior Director of Programs, Pete Kyriacou to discuss the unique challenges AEC professionals face and why the Surface Pro 3 was designed to help them be more productive.
Sponsored | BIM and Information Technology | Oct 1, 2015
How can owners make better decisions with the help of analytics?
Sasha Reed sits down with David Fano, Chief Technology Officer for WeWork (formerly with CASE), at BIMForum to discuss how owners make better decisions with the help of analytics.
Modular Building | Sep 23, 2015
SOM and DOE unveil 3D-printed, off-the-grid building
The Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy (AMIE) building features a high-performance shell with a photovoltaic roof and built-in natural gas generator.
BIM and Information Technology | Sep 16, 2015
Norman Foster proposes 'drone ports' as a way to ship goods across Africa
The structures would store cargo-shipping drones and serve as community centers.
BIM and Information Technology | Sep 16, 2015
VIDEO: See how Wiss, Janney, Elstner engineers use drones to perform building inspections
"We believe that drone usage will enable building owners to assess problems quicker and with less risk to the general public and workers,” said WJE Principal Michael Petermann.
BIM and Information Technology | Sep 14, 2015
Is Apple's new iPad Pro a game changer for architects?
A stylus, split screen, and improved graphics make designing on the tablet easier.
BIM and Information Technology | Sep 9, 2015
How is data changing the nature of design?
Advances in building information modeling allow for more thorough project documentation, but don't get lost in the white noise, writes Shepley Bulfinch’s Kyle Martin.
BIM and Information Technology | Sep 7, 2015
The power of data: How AEC firms and owners are using analytics to transform design and construction
Case’s bldgs = data conference highlighted how collecting data about personal activities can inform design and extend the power of BIM/VDC.
BIM and Information Technology | Aug 28, 2015
MIT researchers develop 3D printer that produces intricate glass structures
The machine uses molten glass as its “ink,” contained in a “kiln cartridge” that heats up at 1,900 degrees until it is molten and pliable.
