CRESTRON INTEGRATION AWARDS - All the Winners Revealed!

As well as revelling in all things from the 80s, guests at this years’ Cresfest, held on Tuesday 24th June at CEDIA Expo, celebrated the achievements of today with the announcement of the winners of the inaugural Crestron Integration Awards. 

Recognising the hard work, dedication and creativity of those who have helped Crestron succeed over the last year, the Crestron Integration Awards were given to those dealers who had truly embraced Crestron Total Home Technology and all its possibilities.

In announcing the winners, Crestron UK Managing Director, Robin van Meeuwen said “We have been overwhelmed with the response to this, the first, Crestron Integration Awards.  We would like to thank every one who took the time out to support the initiative with their submissions.  The standard of entries is testament to the high quality of Crestron integration being carried out by our dealers.  It is a privilege to see what is being achieved with our technology in the residential field and to recognise the hard work of those who have helped us get to where we are today.”

Chaired by Robin van Meeuwen, a panel of judges presided over the adjudication process, including Wendy Griffiths, Executive Director, CEDIA; publisher David Kitchener and Crestron Marketing Manager Petra van Meeuwen.  The winners of the awards scheme, which will run annually, will automatically be entered into the International Category of the Crestron US Integration Awards to be announced later this year at CEDIA EXPO in Denver, USA.

The full list of finalists and winners is as follows:

Innovative Design  

• Winner: Smartcomm for Charters; an installation which the judges felt demonstrated real innovation with the integration of a groundbreaking electronic concierge service featuring Crestron technology - the system performs the tasks a butler might - but in a fully automated way.  
• Finalist: Flamingbox for PPG7 House; an unusual new build with a comprehensive home automation system in all areas including the 10,000sqft winter garden!
• Finalist: James & Giles for Clerkenwell; a stylish and aspirational installation featuring mood lighting, multi-room audio, full home automation and climate control. 
• Finalist: Manhattan Properties for Kings Street; every aspect of this house has been interfaced into the control system to create a modern living space. 

Home Sweet Home Cinema

• Winner: SMC for Cemetery House; an incredible installation for a home situated in a cemetery.  In making this award, the judges recognised SMC’s achievement in overcoming considerable challenges to deliver a truly stunning and fully integrated home, all driven from touch screen Crestron control.
• Finalist: Finite Solutions for Rouge Chic Cinema; a true cinema experience, with a complete control system for video, audio and lighting.
• Finalist: Marquee Homes for Huf Haus; the challenges with a Huf Haus are also part of their appeal - the open plan and contemporary nature of the house is a perfect demonstration of how Crestron systems can add value to the modern lifestyle

Brilliant Lighting Design

• Winner: Imagine This for the exceptional Wintergarden; a project which stood out for its variety of light sources.  This winter garden extension was phase four in renovating the property to its original form.  This included a pool with a motorized floor and full HVAC for the whole property and was to be integrated with the control system in the rest of the house.
• Finalist: Multiroom for Muzinet; this old factory has been turned into a house and installed with an audio and visual multiroom system and a lighting control system

Ultimate Connected Home under 250,000 euros

• Winner: One Touch for the Coppice; an Edwardian property receives a 21st Century makeover as part of this ‘well-rounded’ Crestron install.  Complete with integrated Crestron control designed to blend seamlessly with the period charm.
• Finalist: D&T for London Apartment P; the brief for this home was for a high spec control system, encompassing lighting, AV and security systems.  A plasma and projector-based system was to be provided for the usual areas in a house as well as, rather unusually, the guest WC.
• Finalist: Finite Solutions for The Waterworks; a huge project: this residence required a large selection of home automation including the facility to communicate to other parts of the 11,000 sq ft home.  All technology was to be discreet as possible but to have simple access for the whole family.
• Finalist: James & Giles for Clerkenwell; a stylish and aspirational installation by London-based James and Giles which fits the brief of a system that looks good, sounds good and seamlessly integrates into the contemporary design of the property. The Penthouse now features mood lighting, multi-room audio, full home automation system and climate control. 
• Finalist: Kensington Home Technology for House in SW London; a simple system was required for this house to provide AV, lighting, security control and a business class telephony.  It was to appear discreet and easy for the whole family to operate

Ultimate Connected Home over 250,000

• Winner: Manhattan Properties for Kings Street; an ‘outstanding and comprehensive Crestron install’.  Every aspect of this house has been interfaced into the control system to create a modern living space.  It boasts an intercom system, lighting and living controls such as blinds and fireplaces.
• Finalist: Martin Kleiser for Wiltshire Hall; a high performance audio system was created for this early 18th Century hunting estate.  It used Crestron’s modern style to avoid a visual impact on the overall appearance of the rooms and made control and communication key importance.
• Finalist: SMC for Cemetery House; an incredible installation for a home situated in a cemetery.
• Finalist: Definitions for Art of Glass; this project features a hidden home cinema, multi-room audio, TV and automation and is a great example of Crestron’s new Adanto Entertainment System.

Creative GUI

• Winner: T&T Communications for Kidz; awarded for making technology ‘more emotive’.  T&T created a touchpanel template for children, designed to be simple yet eye catching and to appeal to the younger generation so they could relate to it.
• Finalist: Harris Grant for Utopia; a great example of control technology that is simple to operate and as intuitive as possible, the onboard Crestron touchpanel interface is tailored for ease of use. Clean and uncluttered, the interface can be understood at first glance by anyone who uses the AV and entertainment equipment.
• Finalist: One Touch for Willow Barn; located on the prestigious Crown Estate in Walton-on-Thames, this luxurious 6 bedroom family home is complemented with a Crestron system which seamlessly integrates control of lighting, multi-room AV, multiple zone home cinema, door entry and security.

Best Hi-Rise category

• Winner: Creative Home Cinema for Luxury London Living; An ‘original and versatile’ integrated solution.  This project created the ultimate comfortable and convenient lifestyle.  It has excellent entertainment possibilities including motorised screens and drop down speakers, all controlled by a portable touch screen which has been discreetly concealed.
• Finalist: Cresmed PTY Ltd for the Pearls of Umhlanga; a new dimension of sophisticated living has been achieved in this South African lifestyle development through the use of customised Crestron systems, tailored to meet each owner’s individual needs.
• Finalist: Custom Controls for Beetham Tower; the tallest residential tower in Europe, this project covers the penthouse on floors 47 and 48 which also boasts a climate controlled indoor garden – all Crestron controlled – complete with Olive trees for the client to produce his own olive oil!
• Finalist: D&T for Spinningfields; Crestron was the product of choice to meet the high-end specification needs for the 3000 sq ft luxury penthouse apartments in this major residential development project in Manchester’s Spinningfields area.
• Finalist: Maven for Wellesley House; this London apartment is home to a Crestron system controlling lighting, blinds, voiles, air-conditioning as well as the expected multi-room audio, hidden screens and Kaleidescape media server.

Marine

• Winner: Dawsons AV Marine for the Sunseeker 37m Tri-deck; a project with many ‘unique elements’.  The brief was to design and install the most technologically advanced Sunseeker ever, using the latest and greatest Crestron products available in the AV industry, whilst ensuring the consistency of the look and feel of Sunseeker International vessels.
• Finalist: Harris Grant for Utopia; a great example of control technology that is simple to operate and as intuitive as possible, the onboard Crestron touchpanel interface is tailored for ease of use. Clean and uncluttered, the interface can be understood at first glance by anyone who uses the AV and entertainment equipment.

Best Integrated Home System

• Winner: Flamingbox for PPG7 House; a complex job that caught the judges’ eye from the start.
• Finalist: Clarke Infinity, Hampstead Project; A high quality dwelling in north London undergoing extensive refurbishment. The Client required eighteen zones of full automation which includes lighting, CCTV audio and video,
• Finalist: Marquee Homes, Huf Haus
• Finalist: Martin Kleiser, Wiltshire Hall
• Finalist: Maven, Heathersett; A countryside retreat with a sophisticated Crestron system integrating multi-room audio, HD video distribution, CCTV and intercom access control featuring realtime footage onto the touchpanel!

Best International

• Winner: Creative Home Cinema, French Chalet Megeve; an ‘enviable’ install. This Chalet has been installed with varies forms of audio and visual technology, even in the sauna room.  In boasts a ‘drop down’ ceiling mounted plasma screen and surround sound to give an overall relaxing atmosphere.
• Finalist: Audire for Champs Elysees; The technology needed to be as invisible and integrated as possible for this home, but without compromising on good sound and pictures, making Crestron systems ideal for this job
• Finalist: Avnet for House E; a detached property in the grounds of Killeen Castle with whole house home automation.
• Finalist: Darsonik, Villa Splendid, Croatia; The Crestron Control System in this stone built waterfront Mediterranean villa on the Croatian coast, interfaces and controls AV distribution, alarm, video surveillance, lighting (via EIB) and SAT/TV systems
• Finalist: Smartcomm, Villa Oasis; a fun but functional scheme for a Villa Oasis in St Tropez.  A Crestron system controls everything from high quality outdoor music to great mood lighting.