Corten doors for Synergy House

DoorTechnik were commissioned to manufacture and fit a large powered door and glazed side panel to Synergy House in London. The door and its frame are clad with Corten steel to match the surrounding cladding on the building. The door is access controlled, and is easy to operate.

Corten steel is often used as an architectural feature of contemporary structures and buildings. Forming a protective oxide coating over time, it begins life looking like “normal” steel and then develops a dark brown patina as it weathers.

Working with the main contractor, Barwest Fabrications, we designed a bespoke doorset for this application. Elements from our G15 doors and our SG20 screens formed the basic design, to which we added some specially developed features. A new hinge jamb was designed to safely handle the weight of the large door leaf, its Corten cladding, and the forces from the powered operator. We also developed a new mounting system for the cladding, allowing it to be easily replaced if damaged, and to maintain a ventilating air gap between the door panel and cladding.

Due to the size and weight of the door leaf and its cladding, a conventional door closer would not be suitable due to the excessive opening forces. A Dorma ED 250LE automatic operator was installed, which can handle a leaf weight up to 250kg. The low energy mode ensures easy operation for all users, while automatic mode is available on demand.

As normal, this doorset and its electrical systems were fully tested in our factory in Lincoln before delivery to site.