ASSA ABLOY revolving door provides stylish, sustainable solution

First opened in 2007, Andaz London Liverpool Street resides within the space of the Great Eastern Hotel—one of London’s first grand Victorian-era “railway hotels”. Built in 1884 it houses 267 stylish rooms and suites, as well as bars, restaurants, and a state-of-the-art health club. The first of the global Andaz brand of luxury boutique hotels from Hyatt, it embodies a commitment to “pulling in elements that reflect each destination’s most authentic and beautiful truths”.  The London hotel’s fluid and inviting layout is finished with imaginative décor, redolent of the myriad artisan shops, designers, and artwork that distinguish the local area.

Beyond offering a stylish and comfortable experience to its guests, the hotel also aims to act as a standard-bearer for 21st century, sustainable hospitality. One of the hotel’s key sustainability initiatives is the Monitor & Save project – a hotel-wide energy-saving programme. This involves a continual process of monitoring the heating and cooling in the building through a metering system, targeting points of high energy use and reducing them. In line with this spirit of environmental stewardship, and their luxury brand, it was vital during the recent refurbishments to identify stylish and sustainable options wherever possible. When it came to the hotel’s main entrance, ASSA ABLOY had the ideal solution.

Fit for purpose

The existing 4-wing revolving door was found to be affecting the flow of traffic, due to the restricted compartment space trapping trailing luggage. It was important that the replacement door resolved this issue, whilst being in keeping with the Andaz brand and supporting their focus on sustainable operations. ASSA ABLOY recommended replacing the 4-wing door with a 3-wing model, with an increased diameter, which would comfortably accommodate the hotel’s foot traffic. The client and architect agreed with the recommendations and ASSA ABLOY then supplied and installed an RD3, 3.6m diameter, three-wing revolving door, which combines effective climate-control with security, convenience and style.

Always open for people but closed to the elements, the doors are tightly sealed within the drum with brushes that prevent unwanted air infiltration, eliminating draughts, minimising heat-loss and reducing the energy expenditure required to maintain the internal environment. Specified with the stylish frame system, finished in Black Grey Matt Polyester Powder Coating, the RD3 also included concealed activation and safety sensors, resulting in a fully integrated entrance solution without compromising on design or function.

Safety was also a paramount consideration for the Andaz entrance, and the RD3’s emergency break-out system offered complete peace of mind. The unique design, which can be integrated with a fire alarm system, facilitates a clear, unimpeded evacuation path through the revolving door in case of emergency, and also ensures that the door leaves collapse only when required and not under wind pressure. Furthermore, the ‘force sensitive’ rotating section and soft safety edges to the drum ensure the highest standards of safety during normal operation.

Designed to be placed and fixed directly onto the finished floor surface, no special foundations were required, and the new door was installed on site by ASSA ABLOY installation technicians. In addition to the revolving door, ASSA ABLOY’s SW300 operator was also specified and fixed to a third-party door leaf and frame, to create an additional swing-door entrance to one side of the revolving door.

Sustainable Legacy

As well as providing excellent thermal performance whilst in situ, installation of the ASSA ABLOY RD3 will even contribute to Andaz’s sustainable principles at end of life. The RD3’s energy performance and environmental credentials mean it can contribute towards credits within voluntary standards such as BREEAM.

Andaz London Liverpool Street exemplifies what it means to combine luxury with social responsibility, and its continued dedication to sustainability in all aspects of its operations means it is sure to secure an ongoing legacy.