Video intercom for a four storey building, Soumeh Sara

The brief

A new building at the finishing stage, whose intercom conduit I had run myself during the shell stage. The developer wanted a system that gave a stable picture over few conductors, and that would let a flat add a second handset or a camera later without new wiring.

How it was done

1. 01 Digital two-wire system chosen to suit the existing riser and allow expansion
2. 02 Cable pulled through its own riser, kept apart from power cables to avoid picture noise
3. 03 Door station fitted with a rain hood and sealed behind the frame, given Gilan’s driven rain
4. 04 Separate power supply for the electric lock so its voltage dip does not affect the picture
5. 05 Power supply and distributors housed in a closed box in the common services cupboard
6. 06 Picture, audio and door release tested from every flat, with each line labelled in the box

The outcome

Every flat has a stable picture and clear audio, and the door releases from each one. Capacity was left for second handsets and a common area camera, and the line drawing went to the building manager.