- Located on the shoreline of Dublin, Ireland, you'll find a stunning newly constructed two-story, 3,500 square-foot home with its very own lookout tower — complete with the latest AMX® NetLinx® and Modero® Touch Panel technology. It is the ultimate in residential leisure and luxury accommodations , not to mention it's wonderfully picturesque view of the vast Irish Sea and Lambay Island.
"Certainly, AMX is helping to raise the standard of high-tech residences. The ability to deliver the kind of end-result you see at Lambay House is only possible, in my opinion, through the use of AMX products and the support of the AMX brand."
- Known as "Lambay House," this dramatic residence is the feature property of a 54-apartment development situated in a Dublin suburb called Howth. Constructed by builder Cosgrave Developments, designed by the architect firm Conroy Crowe Kelly and fully integrated by systems integrator and AMX Dealer Incontrol Home Automation of Dublin, the Lambay House reveals a fascinating granite exterior, lavish interior décor and cutting edge technology amenities made possible through AMX one-touch control.
- Several months before breaking ground, Cosgrove commissioned Incontrol as the systems integrator of choice to deliver AMX's modern control systems into this landmark residence. Cosgroves had become familiar with Incontrol's integration work and capabilities more than a year ago, when Incontrol had completed a massive 600-apartment project for another developer. Incontrol incorporated a fully-automated home theater environment into each apartment home. Lambay House would present a greater, much more rewarding challenge.
- "When the developers came to us with this home project, they very much wanted to kick up the amount of home integration," explained Robert Hallam, CEO of Incontrol. "We were provided a specification brief that outlined the need for a control system to deliver a significant 'wow factor' to potential purchasers of the property."
- The scope of the installation would eventually require approximately $150,000 worth of AMX Control System and Touch Panel technology. The home itself would sell on the residential sales market for more than $5.3 million ($4 million Euro).
- "The ability to deliver on the 'wow factor' has made this property a talking point in the community and has also created quite a stir among local developers," Hallam added. "In this market, where home automation is only starting to have an impact, to build a home that features automated lighting, window treatments, a media room and distributed audio as standard features is quite unique."
- The centerpiece of Lambay House is the spacious Media Room, where a wireless AMX 8.4 inch Modero ViewPoint® (MVP-8400) Touch Panel operates the "Home Cinema" experience. The panel's "movie" button on the user interface instantly activates a series of events to seamlessly set the mood and present a dynamic movie-watching environment: the lights dim, the window treatments close, the DLP projector warms up and the hidden, motorized projection screen is revealed above custom cabinetry at the head of the room.
- The cabinets were designed to blend in beautifully with the interior architecture and decoration. They represent the ideal match of form and function, containing a hidden equipment rack for all the home's major entertainment systems/hardware, including a media server, tuner, DVD changer and satellite converter.
- The sleek, easy-to-handle MVP-8400 controls distributed audio for the end user's listening pleasure. There are two panels in the home, one for each floor - yet another welcome convenience. Both MVP-8400s are programmed to communicate directly with the AMX NetLinx Controller over the in-home broadband network, providing instant access to the media server and tuner functions. On demand, any number of music selections can be replayed through the media room's amplifiers and speakers.
- "The ease of operation, the room's aesthetics and the magic delivered by the 'movie' button on the Modero panel have been extremely well received," said Hallam.
- In order to provide control from virtually any area in the home, Incontrol's lead project manager Jude Kracmar and engineering manager Terry Geoghegan made sure to integrate and network the master bedroom, kitchen, terrace, master suite, living room, home study and tower. With MVP-8400 in hand and strategically-placed AMX Dynamic Menu (DMS) System Keypads, the homeowner and family members can access NetLinx and all connected devices without limitations - whether the situation calls for playing music, selecting movies or effortlessly adjusting the Lutron lighting system to the desired levels.
- "By dedicating a team of project managers to an individual installation such as this, we can implement a more hands-on approach that allows us to spend our time more effectively and efficiently from initial design through to completion," Hallam said. "We can then coordinate more closely with the developers, interior designers, cabinet makers and electricians. They see the control technology going into the home and embrace what we are trying to accomplish. There's a high level of interest and that helps all of us to complete the project quickly."
- The Lambay House and Howth apartment development are spearheading a major push by local developers to cultivate open land outside of Dublin's city limits for high-tech residences, according to Hallam. The ability to control a seamlessly integrated home environment, especially for entertainment purposes, is having an impact on the direction of multi-site developments.
- "The understanding of how control technology enhances one's lifestyle is becoming increasingly significant in this part of the world," Hallam said. "Homes with integrated media rooms and control systems are proving more marketable than ever. Certainly, AMX is helping to raise the standard of high-tech residences. The ability to deliver the kind of end-result you see at Lambay House is only possible, in my opinion, through the use of AMX products and the support of the AMX brand."
