Context

The ultra-modern Cochrane Building on the Heath Hospital Campus at Cardiff University was designed with informal learning and library spaces to allow undergraduates to collaborate and develop modern teaching and learning techniques.

The 6,200m² BREEAM ‘Excellent’ building was named in honour of Dr Archie Cochrane and provides first-class teaching facilities for future doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals.

Requirement

  • Provide a quiet and reliable automatic entrance system to the library
  • Allow students 24 hour access to the library from the access lobby
  • Encourage free unrestricted flow for foot traffic and wheelchair users
  • Deny access to the main buiding out of hours
  • Meet rescue and escape route requirements

Solution

TORMAX was contracted by Ian Williams Ltd to install a combination of advanced automatic door systems to address the requirements.

A single-leaf swing door leads into an internal lobby area that is formed using an elegant curved automatic sliding door.

The entrance to the library is directly off this lobby, allowing staff and student access at all times, even when the main part of the building is closed off when the curved door is locked.

Both doors are powered by Swiss-designed, TORMAX iMotion operators, ensuring precise, whisper-quiet opening and closing that is appropriate for an important study area such as this. Reliability is unsurpassed thanks to a unique design feature of iMotion door drives which negates the need for parts that often wear out, such as gears and brushes, considerably reducing maintenance requirements and unscheduled down-time.

The curved sliding door is powered by the iMotion 2202 door drive whilst the swing door is fitted with the iMotion 1201 operator. AC motor technology combines with a state-of-the-art microprocessor control system to ensure permanent monitoring of the movements of both doors, making automatic adjustments as necessary to maximise performance.

As well as being certified for rescue and escape routes, an electro-mechanical locking mechanism ensures a high level of security protection.