A frustrating game of give and take . That is what the common architect ’ s mind-set must be when it comes to door hardware .

Of course , there are many considerations when choosing door hardware . On choice , the globalisation of the industry means there are now vast ranges available on the market . On compliance , increasing media scrutiny means we must get it right or face potential backlash , while legislations that health and safety institutions and government bodies impose are constantly changing . This all makes today ’ s door hardware world a complex one that architects must contend with .

Balancing aesthetics , security and safety needs , standards requirements and product integration is not an easy job and one that is seldom achieved , particularly on large commercial projects .

Looks matter

To the architect , it is no surprise that the primary consideration is aesthetics . For door hardware , it is best if it were invisible .

A recent interview from our US headquarters with Marceli Botticelli , an architect with Payette , demonstrates this point perfectly . Botticelli shared some common thoughts across the architect ’ s world , saying that ‘ architects like thin profiles and abstract designs , so door hardware by nature can be in conflict with that ’ and that while they know

door hardware ‘ serves a purpose ,’ they really just want it to ‘ disappear from an opening as much as possible .’

Whilst some door hardware components have become much better at concealing themselves , such as door closers , other components are naturally much harder to hide , and in some cases must be visible to be able to fulfil their purpose , such as panic exit devices . A point of contention for the architect and one of the first compromises .

As some manufacturers have tried making panic hardware with a more minimalist look , the tradeoff made is that they become less durable and functionality worsens .

Safety , security and standards

The next compromise an architect is commonly faced with is when they must take into account the level of security an opening needs .

How you secure a main perimeter door varies greatly from an interior one , and then the type of interior space – storage , classroom or highly sensitive areas such as labs or data centres – also dictates the hardware used . Meeting standards also needs to be factored in . Is the opening fire-rated ?

Does it meet the accessibility requirements ? All of these considerations directly influence the type of hardware that can be used on a door . It is at this point where it can potentially get even

stickier between manufacturer and architect , as while aesthetics are important , the ultimate priority of security and safety door hardware is to prioritise the health of building occupants and to satisfy the security aspects that the opening in question needs .

As a result , architects have often had to compromise the flow of their desired buildings , and you can eventually end up with hundreds of different doors and components that don ’ t match with each other .