Challenge

Solution

Results

Naarden, a uniquely star-shaped village at the center of the Netherlands, was historically designed as a fortified town to protect its residents during the Eighty Years’ War (1568–1648). Its strategic location made it a critical military target, and the fortifications were carefully constructed to withstand artillery attacks and control access through the region. Today, Naarden retains its charming old infrastructure, with the iconic Grote Kerk Naarden standing at the heart of the village. 

Consecrated in 1479, the Grote Kerk is one of the Netherlands’ most remarkable monumental churches. Its breathtaking interior, rich history, and architectural greatness continue to make it a landmark for both locals and visitors. While the church remains a place of worship, its team sought to create a new experience that would allow visitors to connect with the centuries of history embedded in its walls. 

Bringing History to Life 

As part of Grote Kerk Naarden’s efforts to share its rich story with the public in a new and attractive way, they decided to partner with XPEX. A concept and design agency established in 2008, renowned for its innovative work in the heritage and museum sector. Over 17 years, XPEX has developed museum innovations and exhibitions for cultural institutions, monuments, nature and healthcare organizations. Their unique approach combines content, design, and experience to create meaningful visitor engagement. 

The XPEX team was tasked with creating an immersive experience for the Grote Kerk Naarden. The goal was to highlight the church itself, allowing visitors to discover the traces of six centuries of history visible in its architecture. From scratch marks left by pilgrims to discolorations hinting at past fires, it is a place where every detail and corner has a story to tell. 

A Multi-Partner Approach 

To translate this vision into an engaging immersive experience, XPEX collaborated with Big Orange and Guide-ID. Big Orange contributed expertise in audio production,  while Guide-ID brought both technology and know-how, providing the Podcatcher Pro audio guide system and integrating beacon technology into custom-designed seating to create a truly hands-free visitor experience. The design concept that XPEX was aiming to achieve is a structured narrative composed of three layers: 

1. Earthly stories: Events such as fires and wars. 
2. Intersecting stories: Moments where human life meets spiritual or historical significance, such as births and deaths. 
3. Heavenly stories: Spiritual aspects of the church, culminating in the Choir, historically reserved for clergy. 

The structure of the route aligns closely with the narrative journey: visitors ultimately arrive in the Choir, the most ‘heavenly’ and historically sacred part of the church. 

As a complement to the route, specially designed seats were installed throughout the church to serve as subtle markers, guiding visitors through the story in a natural, intuitive sequence. Each seat contains hidden beacons that work seamlessly with the Podcatcher Pro, automatically triggering the audio at just the right moment. A hands-free design that allows visitors to immerse themselves fully in the experience, free from screens or manual controls. 

Audio as an Immersive Tool 

The use of layered audio lets visitors to feel simultaneously present in the church and in the historical events it witnessed. And who better than The Bach Vereniging, the oldest ensemble for Baroque music in the Netherlands, to contribute by singing texts for the audio experience, these were recorded by Big Orange who captured the audio with binaural microphones, an audio technique that gives the guest the impression of being standing among the performers. The result is a multisensory experience that transmits both the historical and emotional resonance of the church. 

Guide-ID’s Role and Advantages 

Guide-ID’s Podcatcher Pro offered simplicity and accessibility. The system’s ease of use, automatic triggering, and compatibility with the church’s seats ensured that visitors could focus on the experience rather than the technology. Challenges such as testing the system with previously untested materials and designing a logical audio route were successfully overcome through collaborative problem-solving between XPEX, Big Orange, and Guide-ID. 

Thomas Fikken, Business Development Manager at Guide-ID:  

“From the start, we shared the same goal with XPEX. Let the technology disappear so the story can take center stage. Embedding beacons into custom seating was new territory for everyone. We were able to dive into the material and requirements together with XPEX, testing and iterating until it worked perfectly. That flexibility is what makes these collaborations successful." 

Elvire Jensen, creative director and owner of XPEX, affirms: 

“We are satisfied with the final result. The layered audio, the unique recordings, and the story-driven structure create a completely new experience that can be enjoyed in an accessible way by a wide range of visitors.” 

Immersion Through Sound and Space 

A few months after its opening the feedback has been consistently positive. Visitors describe the audio as rich and immersive; the overall impressions are overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Many guests highlight the clarity and quality of the sound, stating how it allows them to fully immerse themselves in the story without distraction. 

One surprise was the seating designed for this project. The seats give visitors permission to pause, to look up, to slow down, and to truly lose themselves in the experience. People often express surprise at how pleasant it is to simply sit and listen, letting the building and the soundscape surround them. The seats have become not just functional elements, but emotional touchpoints within the visitor journey. 

These responses show that the experience has achieved exactly what the team hoped: an accessible, atmospheric, and deeply engaging encounter with the church’s history. 

Impact and Future Possibilities 

Visitors can now explore the Grote Kerk Naarden in a way that combines visual discovery with rich, layered audio storytelling. The success of this collaboration demonstrates the potential for audio-based experiences to transform historical sites into interactive, memorable destinations, offering a model for future partnerships between heritage institutions, creative agencies, and technology providers. 

This case study was developed in collaboration with XPEX and the Grote Kerk Naarden.