V&A Waterfront leverages Axis solutions for network security

As one of Africa’s premier retail, hospitality and commercial business destinations, The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront leads the continent with its implementation of intelligent technologies to maximise safety, security and operational efficiency. By utilizing Axis network video and analytics solutions, along with trusted third-party installers and system integrators, the V&A leverages video surveillance to gain valuable actionable insights.

Located on the foreshore of the City of Cape Town, the 138-hectare V&A precinct is an award-winning attraction visited by millions of people every year. A mixed-use development comprised of residential and commercial properties, the V&A precinct is home to over 500 retail options, 12 hotels, seven museums and multiple commercial and industrial entities. It boasts a comprehensive list of dining, leisure and entertainment facilities, and is host to multiple tourism landmarks and heritage sites that embody South Africa’s diversity and multiculturism.

Previously, V&A utilised surveillance and monitoring systems with ageing analogue equipment and a limited number of cameras to fulfil its security needs. This system proved to be insufficient and led to service delivery and time-scale problems, with extended downtime and new hardware proving expensive as the precinct carried out upgrades to its infrastructure. Furthermore, no third-party applications could be deployed via hardware or video management software (VMS). Combined with the limited number of cameras and camera models, this had a detrimental impact on the precinct’s overall safety and security.

Ultimately, V&A would overhaul its systems using Axis IP cameras in collaboration with open platform VMS provider Milestone Systems, transforming the precinct into a fully managed, digital surveillance environment and opening the door to new and exciting kinds of technology integrations.

Requiring hardware that can withstand a variety of environmental and weather conditions, V&A deploys a selection of Axis network video cameras to monitor the whole precinct. These cameras are connected via a standalone virtual local area network (VLAN), and all data captured is retained within cloud-based storage solutions, ensuring all data is secure and protected. Using the Milestone software, operators can retrieve footage of an incident and respond accordingly within seconds.

“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,” Sandmann explained.

With almost 24 million visitors annually, V&A faces a significant challenge in terms of foot traffic and crowd control. Leveraging a full management support solution that includes Axis cameras and on-device analytics, control room operators can track the movement of all visitors and identify any suspicious or abnormal behaviour. People counting analytics for the different districts generates foot traffic data, which can be collated with sales data to create valuable insights for the precinct and its tenants.

The deployment of Axis technologies and hardware upgrades have also enabled V&A to identify roads, junctions, or parking areas that experience a high volume of traffic, all thanks to on-camera analytics. These insights are useful in developing and executing response plans to the challenges particular areas may face.

Traffic management is and remains a major challenge throughout the City of Cape Town, one that V&A is tackling head-on due to integrated vehicle counting software. Additionally, using license plate recognition software, operators can track vehicles that were involved in security incidents and can instantly identify and monitor them from the moment they enter the precinct to the moment they leave.

Since the deployment of Axis solutions at V&A, the precinct has grown and evolved, owing to the addition of the Silo district. It is scheduled to undergo a multi-phased R20 billion ($1.1 billion) expansion and upgrade starting in 2025, representing a significant investment in terms of local construction and property development.

With expansion comes the need to determine new security risks and considerations. At the same time new structures are going up, the precinct’s security and compliance team is working hard to assess the strategic placement of additional security products and personnel.

“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 concluded.