Hybrid event venues are forcing security teams to rethink system design.
Museums, brand experience centers and adjacent event spaces increasingly combine public exhibitions, performances, private functions and back-of-house operations in one environment. That creates a tougher brief for integrators and consultants, who must help operators maintain visibility across spaces with different traffic flows and risk profiles while keeping security unobtrusive for visitors.
A deployment at the World of Volvo brand experience center in Gothenburg shows how unified platforms are being used to address that challenge.
A venue with mixed demands
The 22,000-square-meter site hosts exhibitions, performances and external events, and receives more than 2,500 visitors a day. In a venue of that kind, security has to do more than deter threats. It also has to support smooth operations in a setting designed to feel open and welcoming.
“World of Volvo wanted a security deployment that aligned with the venue's purpose: creating a safe, welcoming experience for visitors without adding friction,” said Cedric Riedijk, Marketing Manager Benelux & Nordics at Genetec.
Riedijk said the project goal was “to safeguard visitors and vehicles while giving operators the visibility to respond quickly to unexpected or suspicious events.”
That objective is becoming more common across public-facing venues. Museums and multi-use cultural spaces are under pressure to improve security without creating a visible barrier between visitors and the environment. For system designers, that means focusing not just on coverage, but on how systems work together and how easily operators can use them.
Video at the center
At World of Volvo, the deployment centered mainly on video surveillance.
The system was managed through Genetec Security Center and supported by Genetec Streamvault appliances. More than 100 i-PRO cameras were deployed across the site, including PTZ, fisheye and multi-sensor models.
That mix reflects a familiar requirement in hybrid venues. Different spaces call for different types of coverage. PTZ cameras can help with active investigation, while fisheye and multi-sensor devices can provide wider views in exhibition halls, entrances and shared public areas.
For integrators, the lesson is that camera strategy matters as much as camera count. In mixed-use sites, surveillance design must account for circulation routes, open visitor zones, event transitions and operational areas without overwhelming operators with too many disconnected views.
One view across multiple sites
A central part of the design was federation.
The experience center and a warehouse site were brought under one operational umbrella, allowing teams to monitor both from a central control room. That matters for venues that depend on nearby logistics, storage or service facilities. Risk does not stop at the public entrance, and supporting sites often need the same oversight even if their daily use is very different.
For consultants, this points to a broader trend. More venues are looking for architectures that unify separate spaces and sites without turning them into disconnected security projects.
Not every system needs full integration
The project also shows that unified architecture does not always mean every subsystem is fully deployed from the start.
Riedijk said “access-related events are correlated through video, but this was not a full access control deployment.” That distinction matters for integrators. In many projects, video remains the primary operational layer, while other systems are connected more selectively or introduced in stages.
That phased approach can make sense in venues where the immediate need is visual coverage and rapid incident verification. Full access control integration may come later, or may be limited to areas where it supports a clear operational requirement.
Focus on operator visibility
Occupancy management was not handled through Security Center. Riedijk said that was “not a major integration challenge in this project.” The larger issue was giving operators a unified view across different parts of the venue and associated spaces, while keeping the system secure and manageable.
That is a useful reminder for consultants. Not every building function needs to be pulled into the security platform. In some projects, trying to centralize every operational layer can add complexity without improving response.
Cybersecurity and efficiency
Cybersecurity was also part of the design discussion.
Riedijk said Genetec Streamvault “played an important role by providing secure, ready-to-deploy infrastructure for both sites.” He added that “because the appliances are pre-hardened and purpose-built for physical security workloads, they helped World of Volvo simplify deployment while supporting a stronger cybersecurity posture across the federated environment.”
The project did not present sustainability as a headline theme, but efficiency clearly shaped the deployment. Riedijk said, “What clearly influenced the design in this project was operational efficiency: the need for a system that was easy to use, quick to deploy, and simple for operators to work with in a central control room.”
For integrators, that kind of efficiency can matter as much as feature breadth. Systems that are easier to deploy and run can reduce operational strain, simplify training and make day-to-day security work more predictable.
Usability matters
Perhaps the most significant takeaway from this project is the importance of user-friendly design.
“One important lesson is that usability matters just as much as technical capability in public-facing venues,” Riedijk said. “Security teams need to get up and running quickly, and operators need a system that is intuitive under real-world conditions.”
He added that “cultural and multi-use venues often benefit from a centralized architecture that can unify multiple spaces and sites while keeping the visitor experience smooth and unobtrusive.”
That may be the broader lesson from this deployment. As venues become more hybrid in purpose, security design is moving toward platforms that deliver visibility, operational simplicity and flexibility at the same time.
For systems integrators, the opportunity is not just to install more devices. It is to build systems that connect the right functions, support quicker decisions and stay unobtrusive in spaces built for people, not just protection.