en.Wedoany.com Reported - Crestron has deployed an audio-visual and unified communications system covering over 140 rooms for FC Barcelona's Espai Barça project, with the core goal of addressing the common industry challenge of large stadiums being underutilized for most of the year. The project, costing over €1 billion, involves the redevelopment of the Spotify Camp Nou and surrounding facilities, aiming to transform the venue from a high-intensity event space used only about 22 days per year into a year-round, 365-day operational destination.
As the Official Smart Hospitality Systems Partner for Espai Barça, Crestron's technology platform operates across most of the campus. According to Antonio Ortega, Regional Sales Director for Iberia and Italy at Crestron, the Espai Barça campus includes the Estadi Johan Cruyff for training and youth sports, the Nou Palau Blaugrana for concerts and indoor sports, and Campus Barça, which integrates a museum, flagship store, and public spaces. The core area of the redesigned Spotify Camp Nou will be used for year-round community events, corporate gatherings, and premium hospitality.
In terms of specific technical configurations, the venue's main hospitality center, the "Pitch Club," operates a multi-zone audio system based on DM NAX audio-over-IP, paired with 4K video distribution, allowing flexible switching between match days and corporate events. The "Presidential Suite" integrates technology into the architecture to create a high-end environment. The "Boardroom" is equipped with 1 Beyond cameras (featuring Automate VX speaker tracking), Dante-based audio, and large-format displays, functioning as a high-spec hybrid meeting room. "VIP Suites" integrate displays, personal device Bluetooth audio, motorized blinds, and touchscreen controls, capable of hosting both premium match-day hospitality and private business meetings.
At the infrastructure level supporting these functions, the DM NVX audio-over-IP system handles 4K video distribution throughout the venue, while the DM NAX audio-over-IP system extends audio coverage from locker rooms to rooftop terraces. The Crestron Virtual Control platform enables unified management, and the XiO Cloud platform provides remote monitoring and proactive troubleshooting for over 140 rooms. Miguel Castro, Lead AV Technology Integrator for the project, stated that the unified communications solutions deployed in many hospitality areas allow spaces within the venue to function as modern collaborative environments outside of match days. Jorge Laborda, Engineering and Sustainability Manager for Espai Barça, noted that infrastructure requirements dictated this decision, and choosing Crestron as the Official Smart Hospitality Systems Partner was to ensure technology becomes a key differentiator for the venue experience.
