Inside the Crestron Experience Center in Mechelen
A new chapter in innovation, now open in Belgium
October 24
Inside the Crestron Experience Center in Mechelen

Roughly halfway between the cities of Antwerp and Brussels sits the town of Mechelen. Sometimes referred to as the “hidden gem” of Flanders, the city is brimming with art and history. (And coincidentally, it’s only about a half-hour train ride from the offices of L’Oréal Belgium, profiled here in a Crestron case study.)

It’s also the home of Crestron’s EMEA headquarters — and now inside that same address is a sparkling new Crestron Experience Center as well. “Locating it inside our HQ was a natural choice,” says Michael Short, Crestron’s VP of Marketing and Residential. “It sits strategically between two major Flemish cities — which are great transport hubs for the region — making it easily accessible for our partners and customers across not just Belgium but the entire EMEA region. The location is also a regional hub for innovation and collaboration — exactly the kind of environment we wanted to build around and bring guests to.”

A Working Space

Much like the Crestron Experience Center NYC in Midtown Manhattan and our experience center at our U.S. HQ in New Jersey, this is a working space as well as a showplace. “It’s not just an experience center — it’s a place where we work as well as a place where we can educate and inspire our guests,” says Short.

It’s also the extension of a philosophy Crestron has been working on for many years: Instead of displaying black boxes with reams of technical specs, we want to tell stories with technology, curating an immersive experience. Simply put, it’s all about telling a story.

“Experiential storytelling is central to how we connect with our audiences,” says Short. “Technology can be complex, but when people see it in action, when they experience it, it becomes intuitive and exciting. This space allows us to tell the Crestron story through real-world applications, not just specs and features. Around the world, our experience centers are seen as the flagship location to see what we can do and how far we can push technology, and this EMEA CEC is no different.”

Networked AV

“We're trying to show as much of our core technology as we can in a 400-square-meter space,” says Ronny van den Boom, senior manager of sales support services for Crestron Europe. “Visitors will see a 22-meter wall showing the full range of DM NVX AV-over-IP and DM NAX Audio-over-IP technology that’s driving the entire CEC space. That includes our latest DM NVX AV-over-IP feature: Multiview technology, which allows the configuration of up to six sources in fixed layouts.”

The center is designed to show the technology’s flexibility: “The Multiview stream can be sent to our multipurpose room, complete with a 136-inch LED wall. And we have POE DM NAX Audio-over-IP speakers ready to receive audio from any source connected to a Crestron edge device in the space.”

To showcase the near-zero latency of those solutions, two Formula One® racing simulators sit side by side in the experience center. “Those racing chairs are driven by two PCs with bidirectional communication, and any image the driver sees can be sent to any display in the center.” The audio, video, and USB connections and signals are sent between the simulators and the central rack with virtually no lag — which is critically important when you’re mimicking racing speeds that clock in at more than 200 mph.

Intelligent Video

Crestron’s intelligent video solutions are well-represented in the center, too. “We have a fully equipped Sightline room that’s really impressive,” says van den Boom. That space — a state-of-the-art boardroom — features eight displays and 10 cameras driven by an Automate VX server. “It’s a fully custom space — it’s impressive to see dual displays and dual 1 Beyond PTZ cameras on all four walls,” he notes. “Connection points in the table make wired presentations in the room really simple, and you can access the Microsoft Teams platform or BYOD via USB-C,” adds van den Boom. In addition to Automate VX with Visual AI for auto-framing and reframing, the room also features a DM NVX® 384 encoder/decoder and USB-C® connectivity power.

“Wireless presentations can be handled with our AirMedia Connect Adaptor,” says van den Boom. There’s a docking station that can throw the signal to a massive display, too.” The rest of the AirMedia® technology family of solutions is on display in the center, as well as Crestron Flex Pods, DM® Essentials products, and other solutions.

The entire commercial side of the space leans into hybrid work solutions. “Wireless conferencing can be enabled for the remote participants to follow the presentation,” says van den Boom. “Virtual meeting attendees will have a crystal-clear view of the presenter, since the AirMedia solution is connected to one of our 1 Beyond cameras. No matter who’s presenting content — virtually or in-person — the space illustrates just how easy it is for everyone to see and be seen.”

The Crestron Home® OS

There’s a residential side to the CEC, too. “It’s a fully immersive environment that shows how the Crestron Home OS brings simplicity, elegance, and performance together,” says Short. “From lighting and shading to audio and control, it’s all about delivering the connected lifestyle with zero friction.”

“For the residential visitors, our Home area features a full Crestron Home OS setup,” says van den Boom. “We have a beautiful lighting control demo that includes a showcase of our digital lighting platform for full color-tunable lighting. There’s audio and video distribution using DM NAX Audio-over-IP and DM NVX AV-over-IP to display our ability to allow homeowners to watch and listen in every room. Crestron speakers, security cameras, KNX integration, and HVAC control via Airzone all come together for a stunning display.”

The center has the dealer in mind, too: “To show our integrators the ease of configuring a Crestron Home OS system, we have a station where you can get a hands-on demo of the new Configure Pro software,” says van den Boom. Speaking of hands-on, visitors can interact with our brand new Cevo Mini remote and feel the fit and finish of the latest iterations of Crestron Horizon® keypads and dimmers.

Virtual Tours

Behind the scenes, the CEC space is programmed on a VC-4 server, and the main control UI is a TST-1080 fully programmed with Crestron Construct™ software. “There were a lot of advantages to using that single server,” says van den Boom. “Different programmers can work on it at once — it’s more flexible, and they don’t interfere with one another.” The rest of the commercial UIs are created with Crestron Construct software, as well as a custom scheduling panel. Another nifty feature: The Crestron Sightline Experience room can easily be flipped to a mode that offers top-shelf security — perfect for government applications. “It’s easy to demonstrate how all of these solutions can work for any vertical,” says van den Boom.

And those demos aren’t just for in-person visitors. “We have automated remote viewing options,” says van den Boom. “We have five i20 1 Beyond cameras that can follow a tour guide as they enter each zone of the CEC. It’s a really great way to enable a virtual tour while showcasing the intelligent video solutions we’ve created at the same time.”

The CEC is available for tour by appointment, and Crestron’s Executive Director of EMEA Sales, Robin Van Meeuwen, is certain that a look inside can be a terrific sales tool: “Showrooms like Mechelen are essential for sales because they allow clients to experience the technology firsthand. It’s not just about seeing — it’s about feeling how Crestron solutions can transform their spaces.”

Everyone’s Welcome

Of course, the CEC isn’t just for dealers and their clients — it’s for architects, designers, end-users, and anyone who might interact with or specify these solutions. “No matter who visits, we want them to leave inspired,” says Annelies Kampert, VP and GM of Crestron Europe. “Whether they’re designing a home, planning a smart building, or integrating AV across a campus, this space helps them visualize what’s possible. It’s about sparking ideas, building confidence, and deepening relationships.”

To borrow a popular phrase from the real estate industry, a big plus of the CEC is location, location, location. “This experience center is a tangible expression of our investment in the region,” says Kampert. “We’ve designed it to reflect the diversity of our EMEA markets, with spaces that speak to both residential and commercial audiences. It’s about showing up locally with global excellence.”

“It’s a showcase of our vision in action,” she adds. “Intelligent environments aren’t just about technology — they’re about how people live and work. This experience center brings that vision to life, showing how Crestron solutions adapt to different needs, spaces, and lifestyles. It’s a place where innovation meets experience.”

Interested in learning more? Schedule a visit today.

featured products

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Crestron Home®

Crestron Home makes all the devices and systems work the way you want them to. One simple experience from multiple control devices – on the wall, on the counter, on the couch, on your phone.

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Crestron DM NVX AV-over-IP technology

DM NVX® AV-over-IP technology combines video, audio, USB, and control on a single platform to reliably distribute anything across your entire network — in real time, at the highest quality and security standards.

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Crestron Intelligent Video

From small rooms to multi-purpose rooms, from lecture halls to town halls, Crestron’s portfolio of intelligent video solutions brings everyone closer together and keeps them fully engaged.

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