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Axis secures the Waterfront

Located on the Cape Town foreshore, the 138-hectare V&A; Waterfront precinct attracts millions of people every year and is a mixed-use development comprised of residential and commercial properties. The precinct is home to over 500 retail options, 12 hotels, seven museums and multiple commercial and industrial enterprises.

Axis Communications shares insight into its longstanding partnership with the V&A; Waterfront. Axis technologies enables the V&A; precinct to learn more about itself while maximising safety, security and operational efficiency. The case study also reflects the reliability and longevity of Axis solutions, with hardware installed nearly a decade ago still operational and playing a role in creating a safe and secure public environment.

“The V&A; Waterfront serves as a clear demonstration of the power of Axis solutions and how our intelligent, integrated technologies help to transform spaces not just in terms of security but also by unlocking actionable insights that transform the visitor experience and enhance precinct operations,” said Lee-Ross Duimpies, key account manager at Axis Communications.

Moving to a managed digital surveillance solutions

Before the implementation of Axis solutions, the V&A; Waterfront’s security infrastructure used analogue equipment and a limited number of cameras to survey the precinct. This eventually proved insufficient due to service delivery challenges, timescale problems and an inability to deploy third-party applications, compromising the precinct’s overall security posture.

Working in collaboration with open platform video management software (VMS) provider Milestone Systems and video integrated solutions provider Cygnetic, the V&A; Waterfront overhauled its system using Axis IP cameras, transforming the precinct into a fully managed, digital surveillance environment. The V&A; deploys several Axis network video cameras, all connected via a stand-alone virtual local area network (VLAN), with captured data sent to a secure, cloud-based storage solution. Using this solution, camera operators and security teams can easily search for and retrieve footage and respond immediately in the event of an incident.

“The quality and durability of Axis products are what drew us to the brand, especially after benchmarking them against competing brands. This durability, along with the ongoing development of their technology, has visibly impacted our bottom line, proven by the fact that certain models installed all the way back in 2013 are still performing perfectly today,” said Clinton Sandmann, compliance manager at V&A; Waterfront.

The system overhaul and integration of Axis technologies have also enabled the V&A; Waterfront to enhance its traffic management capabilities. Using vehicle counting and licence recognition software, security personnel can track vehicles that were involved in any security-related events and continuously monitor them.

The partnership continues

Later this year, the V&A; Waterfront plans to break ground on a proposed R20 billion development, scheduled to be rolled out over the next 15 to 20 years. The development will add 440 000 m2 to its current 614 000 m² footprint with the majority of the new area located in the Granger Bay precinct. It will involve reclaiming land from the sea and feature a public walkway that links the city centre to Mouille Point.

“Thanks to years-long experience and a clear understanding of our security needs, we are staying true to our vision of the V&A; Waterfront remaining a safe and secure place. What makes our partnership with Axis so lucrative and successful is the ways in which its results extend beyond security and surveillance. Axis solutions let us learn more about ourselves, assist our tenants, enhance the experience of all our visitors and optimise our operations overall,” Sandmann explained.

“At their core, Axis surveillance devices and analytics are about optimising security and efficiency, regardless of their use case or industry application. Connecting new and existing capabilities with customer needs is the key to making an impact and introducing change where it is most valuable, and we accomplish that thanks to our insight and track record of offering quality, reliable solutions. Our continued partnership with the V&A; Waterfront remains a testament to that and sets the stage for future collaborations and opportunities,” Lee-Ross concluded.

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