wipo compound:
sophisticated glass door design enhances feel-good atmosphere
wipo is an intellectual property organization with headquarters in geneva, where numerous buildings for the employees are gathered on a campus. as part of the construction of a conference room, a large underground hallway was designed to connect multiple buildings of the organization. to create an around-the-clock atmosphere of activity, the architects installed colorful plexiglass silhouettes of passersby on one side of the wall. the plexiglass shapes are protected by a glass wall onto which additional silhouettes are printed. to allow for constant access to the space created behind the glass wall, the glass elements are mounted on a highly sophisticated sliding door fitting: astec b.1000. the architects' decision to use this fitting was based to a large degree on the fact that it is nearly invisible. its sliding technology is fully integrated into the floor with a track that is installed flush with the floor covering. this track holds small barrel rollers for the sliding door elements to glide on. the lower glass edge is protected against damage by a u-channel. this elegant sliding door fitting combined with the plexiglass shapes and the printed human silhouettes ensure that the hallways is always welcoming.
client:
wipo (world intellectual property organization)
architect:
behnisch architekten, stuttgart
installer:
sofraver sa, avry
year:
2011
photos:
david matthiessen