An educational success

Access control

Situated in the heart of the City of London, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama is home to 2,000 of the most outstanding teachers and pupils in the performing arts sphere.

Recently, Martin Auger – head of estates management – felt that students and teachers alike who study and work at the 100,000 square metre complex adjacent to the celebrated Barbican Centre deserved a more comprehensive security system to ensure their safety and the smooth running of the School as a whole.

In-house facilities include 41 dedicated teaching and/or practice rooms, recording and sound studios, the students’ Common Room, IT facilities, a specialist library and accommodation.

Auger commissioned access control, CCTV and intruder alarm systems integration specialist Frontline Security Solutions to install a bespoke access system courtesy of TDSi. The requirement was to replace the existing (and somewhat outdated) access system with one that could identify and record – as well as control – access to any or all of the School’s five disparate sites.

That being the case, Frontline installed a TDSi eXcel4 networkable access system in combination with eXguard Pro software. This allows an unlimited number of doors to be controlled and, when needed for particular events, makes it easier to open additional doors.

The magnetic access cards that have been issued to all members of staff and students also serve as the School’s ID card, allowing access to designated areas and acting as a discount card for the in-house cafeteria (and as a library card).