How Media Walls Transform Control Room Design

If your control room relies on lots of live data, CCTV feeds or maps, a well-planned media wall can change the whole space. Done right, it improves sight lines, speeds up decision-making, and keeps teams focused on what matters. Here’s how media walls reshape control room design - and what to think about before you buy.

What is a media wall?

A media wall is the structure that holds multiple screens in a clean, stable and ergonomic way. In control rooms, it’s the focal point: a single place to share the “big picture” so everyone sees the same thing at the same time. Modern systems are modular, strong and designed to be reconfigured as your needs change.

Media wall vs video wall

People often use the terms interchangeably. Think of the media wall as the engineered frame and mounting system, and the video wall as the display surface created by the screens you fit to it (LCD, LED or projection cubes). The structure and the display tech work together, but they’re chosen and specified separately.

Why media walls change the way control rooms work

A good media wall isn’t just a neat way to hang screens - it changes how the room is laid out, how operators interact, and how quickly teams spot and act on issues. The design standard ISO 11064 puts the operator at the centre, and a shared display is a big part of that.

Better sight lines and ergonomics

When the media wall is placed correctly, operators get a comfortable viewing angle and a clear line of sight from every seat. Following ISO 11064 guidance for layout and viewing distances helps reduce strain and supports long-shift working - essential in 24/7 environments.

Faster decisions and a shared “common picture”

Media walls let you bring CCTV, SCADA, maps, dashboards and alerts into one view. That improves situational awareness and helps teams make quicker, more confident decisions, especially during incidents when seconds count.

Choosing the right display technology

Getting the frame right is step one; choosing the display tech is step two. Each option has pros and cons that affect image quality, footprint, service life and cost.

LCD, direct-view LED or rear projection?

• Tiled LCD: slim footprint and simple to service; ultra-narrow bezels, but still visible joins.
• Direct-view LED: truly seamless look and excellent brightness; cost and pixel pitch selection matter for close viewing.
• Rear projection cubes: deep footprint but stable image and long runtimes; upgrades often possible without full rebuilds.

Pick based on viewing distance, content type (text vs video), ambient light and budget.

Think about processing and control

Your content controller (e.g. video wall processor/KVM/AV system) needs to route many sources to many screens, create presets for common scenarios, and change layouts quickly during events. Plan this alongside the media wall so cabling, power and ventilation are all sorted from day one.

Planning your media wall step-by-step

Upfront planning saves hassle later. Start with what the operators need to see and do, then shape the wall and room around that.

1) Map your use cases and sources

List the feeds you’ll show (CCTV, BMS/SCADA, traffic, GIS, news, incident dashboards), who needs to see them, and how often layouts change. That will drive the number of screens, resolution, and the controller spec.

2) Set viewing distances and heights

Use ISO 11064 principles to set sight lines, distances and mounting heights so text is legible and neck/eye strain is reduced. This also informs the room layout: console positions, aisle widths, and where supervisors stand.

3) Allow for light, heat and noise

Plan lighting to avoid glare on displays and keep contrast consistent. Leave space for heat management (especially with LED walls) and ensure any cooling fans don’t add distracting noise into the room.

4) Make maintenance easy

Choose a frame that gives front or rear service access, tidy cable management and a clear way to swap screens without dismantling the whole wall. Modular aluminium systems are designed for this and can be extended later if your room grows.

5) Build in futureproofing

Pick a system that accepts different screen sizes and can be powder-coated to match your brand or environment. Standard “off-the-shelf” configurations can speed delivery, while custom builds fit awkward rooms or specific sight-line needs.

Design impact beyond the wall

A media wall affects more than the front of the room. It changes furniture layout, operator workflows and even how visitors experience the space.

Room layout and operator flow

With a strong visual focal point, you can position consoles so operators face the same “common picture”, improving collaboration and reducing back-and-forth. Supervisors can monitor the wall and the team in one glance.

Branding and look-and-feel

Powder-coated frames and matched finishes help the wall blend into the room, keeping things modern without feeling “tech for tech’s sake”. That’s useful for public-facing areas like control suites with viewing galleries or receptions.

Typical environments

Media walls shine in security control rooms, transport and traffic centres, utilities and process control, emergency services, broadcast, reception areas and ATC training suites.

How Thinking Space can help

Thinking Space designs and installs Evolution media walls - lightweight, modern aluminium systems with custom or standard configurations, a 10-year guarantee and options to powder-coat to any RAL colour. You can also tap into a free design service to get the layout right for your room and your operators. Typical deployments include control rooms, broadcast studios, receptions and training simulators.

Frequently Asked Questions