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Pivoting front door with no technical compromises
Whether it’s a meter-high entryway that blends into the facade or one that draws all the attention: at Different Doors, architects themselves determine the size, shape, and finish. During Architect@Work, the company showcased a pivot front door that combines this design freedom with the performance of an exterior door.
When Sil Kuppens worked for a manufacturer of standard garage doors, he often had to turn customers down. ‘I had to explain what wasn’t possible, what wasn’t allowed, or what wasn’t covered by the warranty. That’s when I thought: there’s a market precisely in everything that isn’t possible.’ Driven by that frustration, he founded Different Doors in 2011 with all his savings and using a delivery van belonging to his in-laws.
Different Doors now has about seventy employees and operates in seven countries. The philosophy from back then still guides the way we work. Architects don’t have to adapt their designs to standard sizes, materials, or finishes. “If an architect can draw it, we can make it. In principle, anything you can apply to a facade, we can also incorporate into a door.”
Pivot doors have long been popular in interior design, but they couldn’t simply be used as front doors. Sealing at the top and bottom, as well as security, were particular challenges. Different Doors saw this as a challenge. “We wanted to create a pivot door that performs at least as well in the facade as a traditional front door.”
The company sought—and found—a solution to seal the door airtight. The locking mechanism closes along both sides over virtually the entire height, ensuring that even large models can be securely locked. For the pivot system, Different Doors always uses hinges from FritsJurgens, providing a weightless experience regardless of size. Access can be controlled without a visible lock cylinder, for example, using a fingerprint or iris scan. From the inside, the door opens with a single motion. All performance characteristics of Different Doors’ doors have been independently tested.
According to Kuppens, these technical developments open up new possibilities for architects. Different Doors manufactures pivot front doors up to approximately two meters wide and six meters high. Glass, steel, wood, and other facade materials can be incorporated into the design. As a result, the entrance can virtually blend into the facade or, conversely, stand out as a striking architectural element. “If an architect can draw it, we can build it. In principle, anything you can apply to a facade, we can also incorporate into the door.” The company’s in-house engineering departments translate the sketch into a technically feasible design for in-house production.
Last year, Different Doors participated in Architect@Work for the first time in Kortrijk. For the Dutch edition, the company brought a fully functional pivot front door. Architects were able to open and close it themselves and examine the seal up close. Although the booth didn’t have enough space for a six-meter-tall door, the model did demonstrate how the system moves, locks, and seals. Participating in the event is intended to be the next step in the company’s international expansion. Kuppens: “We want to continue growing with this door throughout Europe. In Rotterdam, we were able to get a sense of how it’s received in our home market.”
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Expect the unexpected. At Different Doors, we create surprising entryways for exclusive homes. And we do it in a way that sets us apart from the rest. Every morning, we start with the same question: How can we exceed our client’s expectations today? That mindset is reflected in everything we design and build. We create luxury […]
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