Four Challenges. One Solution.

Rising 275 feet into the sky, the Freedom Tower is the tallest building in the city and houses the university’s Rawlings School of Divinity.  The Tower not only offers incredible views of the campus and the surrounding mountains – it also contains a variety of classrooms and offices, a lab, and even a scriptorium where students can examine sacred texts and manuscripts. 

However, this impressive building was not without its challenges.  The Tower’s original doors were struggling to function at Liberty’s standards.  This state-of-the-art facility needed an entrance system to match. 

Challenge:

The challenge was four-fold: first, create an entrance that alleviates difficult opening caused by the severe wind pressure surrounding the building.  Second, the doors needed to be automatic, accommodating heavy student traffic with ease.  Third, Liberty needed doors that were secure and could be properly locked against forced opening.  Finally, Liberty wanted the entrance to be stunning and blend well with the aesthetics of the Tower’s architecture.

For a solution, Liberty’s team turned to a company they knew and trusted: “We have used ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems for many other projects, and we trusted them because of past work experience.” 

Solution:

In close partnership with Liberty, ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems was able to provide a single solution for all four of Liberty’s entrance challenges.  By installing a bi-part SL500 Sliding Door System, we equipped the Freedom Tower’s main entrance to operate despite wind conditions and heavy traffic and provided them the security they required – all while seamlessly blending with the building’s aesthetics.

The Liberty team testified, “We have really enjoyed these doors.  They have been able to meet the needs that we have envisioned for this type of setup.  We are hoping to see more of this type of door utilized throughout the university.”