A Doorway might not be the most interesting subject, but they are a hidden constant in our lives. They are also the first impact on us when we visit a home or building. We must enter and exit using doorways hundreds of times a day. The quality of our entrances and exits is important. They keep us safe, ease our passage, and ensure the cold is kept out.

Doorway design is varied and constantly evolving. Innovators in many fields have created new ways of imbuing luxury, security, and accessibility to doorways. The most prevalent deciding factor in the design of a doorway is its intended purpose and specific context of use. As you will see in this list of 3 doorway innovations, doorway designers see a problem and design a swinging, sliding, or revolving solution. 

Revolving Doors

Theophilus Van Kannel of Philadelphia patented the revolving door in 1888. The first revolving door, which was made of wood, was installed at Rectorโ€™s restaurant in Manhattan in 1899. 

Revolving doors have many advantages over the conventional entrance and exit arrangements. In busy buildings, people can enter and exit a revolving door at the same time. Snow and water are essentially prevented from entering the building, as there is no point in time when the inside and outside are not sealed. Revolving doors are great for large buildings, as they utilize space very efficiently whilst allowing for constant use. 

Van Kannel may have invented the revolving door in order to spite his mother after receiving punishment from her for not holding open a door for a woman. He vowed to eradicate the chivalrous act altogether by reinventing the door entirely. 

Automatic Sliding Doors

Automatic sliding door systems are everywhere. Youโ€™ll find them at the entrance to shops, banks, municipal buildings, and even in private homes. Automatic sliding doors use sensors to detect the approach of a person and then smoothly glide to the side โ€“ like in Star Trek!

Companies such as Evo Products produce off the shelf devices for the conversion of existing doors into automatic systems. Installing automatic sliding doors in the home can make it accessible for people with disabilities, allow pets to enter and exit at will and prevent the spread of COVID-19 by reducing the number of people touching the door itself.

There are a few downsides to using automatic systems. The sensor has to be carefully calibrated so that it can correctly identify an approaching human and not say, open every time a car goes past. Using a trusted installer can usually solve any sensor problems you might have. 

The Fire Door Closer

Fire doors are considered an essential safety device in modern buildings. Essentially, a fire door is a fire-resistant door that prevents the passage of fire and gas from one room to another โ€“ allowing the occupants of the building to seek safety and stopping the fire from raging out of control. 

In order to ensure that a fire door is always sealed, the fire door stopper was invented. This device automatically closes fire doors, forming a near-perfect seal. Automatically closed fire doors have undoubtedly saved hundreds of lives.ย 

Some great examples of an innovative doorway to add to your home or business above. Do you have a fun door in your home?

What do you think?

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

No Comments Yet.