Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/177525
This page and page 36: MWE Stainless Steel products from Bucher Ltd. Detail Oriented THIS YEAR, ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE IS ALL ABOUT MAKING A BIG IMPACT WITH CUSTOMIZED CHOICES by Stacey McLachlan A Architects and interior designers know that good design lies in the details. That's why hardware elements for doors, cabinetry and furniture are a vital consideration for every project. Hinges, handles, levers and pulls may not seem like the most important element, but they can help pull a room together and bring a sense of completion, while hardware like locks or gliding systems are the inishing touches needed to create a functional, livable space. Like any element of architecture of design, architectural hardware is affected by trends. This year, customization is key. Users, commercial and residential alike, want personalization: sometimes, that means colours and materials for esthetic reasons. Other times, specialized uses demand specialized products. Here is a look at what's happening now – and what's still to come. Security is no longer de ined by a lock and key. Electronic access continues to be hugely popular among developers in institutional, commercial and industrial environments. Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies (IR) has responded to that interest with accessory expansion kits for its wireless ADSeries Locks. AD-Series products are already totally modular – customers can choose their chassis, reader technology (from smart cards to keypad) for optimum security, and then pick a lever shape and inish (nickel, chrome, brass and bronze are all available) to suit their design needs. The new kits include Architectural Hardware p.32-37ArchitectHware.indd 33 portable readers and wireless gate and elevator kits for added convenience and ease of access. On the mechanical side, IR's Josh Weidman explains that the company upgraded its LCN mechanical closers with heavier-duty features for increased durability and reliability. The surface-mounted closers are made from high-strength cast iron and forged steel for high ef iciency and low friction, and illed with all-weather luid to eliminate seasonal adjustments. Of course, usability is key for everyone. "Even more attention is being paid today to ensuring that products meet the specialty functional requirements of the user," Weirdman says. "As users and architects have a clearer understanding of how openings should perform, they are asking for more specialized products that meet their needs." That means life cycle value for commercial buyers; for property managers, an increased interest in standardization to optimize inventories and training costs; for everyone, a headachefree acquisition, installation and maintenance. Ingersoll isn't the only company that has gone high-tech with lock options. Greg Brazas, hardware specialist at Reilly Lock, believes its stock of Arrow products is the best digital option out there. "Arrow has taken iPhone technology and put it in a lock," Brazas explains. "We've had push-button technology for years, now we have touch. It's very 21st century, and very appealing." Reilly Lock rolled it out on the commercial end last year, and is just beginning to introduce it residentially; it's already getting a positive reaction. "Families set it up on their garage door, and the kids aren't losing the house keys anymore. Arrow is pioneering something special." But it's not just about technology, Brazas explains: customers care more about esthetics than they did even a few years ago. "It used to be more about function – you had brass and satin silver and that was it – but people were okay with just two choices." Today, a plethora of other inishes – antique brass, stainless steel, alloy aluminum – are available for architectural hardware products from deadbolts to hinges to handles. "Designers like to tie the looks in the house together, so there's a sense of unity," Brazas says. Customization seems to be standing out as the current trend, rather than any style in particular: personalization and curb value are important to customers from all walks of life. As Brazas puts it, "They're investing in the door itself: why not go all the way with great hardware to match?" Swinging doors aren't the only entryways that can bene it from attention to detail. Sliding doors can get a boost, too, from carefully selected hardware. And whether you like a bold look or subtler structure, there's sophisticated options on the market for you. "We're seeing trends towards soft-closing, self-closing mechanisms that are easily concealed and don't require a power source," notes Maurizio Frigo of Hafele Canada. Hafele's Slido Classic series' SMUSO mechanism does it all, and is able to carry door weights up to 80 kilograms and door weights up to 160 kilograms without the SMUSO mechanism. The second trend that Frigo's noted, however, is just the opposite of these subtle hardware options: "Some users are looking for mechanical-looking hardware with exposed trolleys." Hafele its that bill as well with its distinctive Slido Design Series (which can carry door weights up to 100 kilograms), available for wood or glass sliding panels. Whatever the look, cost is key. Both Slido options are European-made and offered at an economical price, so buyers get quality and performance without breaking the bank. And if you aren't installing sliding doors, there are plenty of design options for the rest of the home from Hafele. Hand-crafted lever designs are available in solid silicone bronze or Britannium, a silvery, solid-base metal with the look of pewter, but a harder consistency. Lever designs in long, elegant shapes are popular, making a nice change from the traditional knob. Sustainability is a necessity today, and something as simple as thoughtfully choosing architectural hardware can make a difference to the energy ef iciency of a building. "Selling durable products is one easy way to make the world greener," argues Stefan Forschle, owner of Bucher Ltd. And reliable products that last are attractive to consumers as well. Whatever the materials or colours, FEBRUARY 2012 /33 1/23/12 10:33:36 AM