ActivWall

September 20, 2021September 21, 2021

Durham County Public Library

Durham County Main Library - Durham, NC

A beautiful example of modern and sustainable architecture, the main branch of the Durham County Public Library opened in 2020, and ActivWall is honored to have two Horizontal Folding Door units in this award-winning facility.

Designed by VINES Architecture and constructed by Skanska and Holt Brothers, the LEED Gold certified library is 85,000 square feet with four levels.

The Durham County Main Branch library has more than 179,000 items in it’s collection. In addition to traditional library offerings, the facility also provides unique resources for the community, including a recording studio, a sensory calming area, a business incubator space, and a lush green rooftop terrace.

Guests entering the lobby from Liberty Street are first greeted by an expansive set of oak-stained steps.

Off to the right of the staircase are the library’s café and an upper-level entrance to the 300-seat auditorium. In this space, an ActivWall Horizontal Folding Door is used to connect the spaces.

The eight-panel unit on this floor measures 316″ wide by 116″ high and features a top-supported carriage for smooth gliding and a low-profile saddle sill on the floor.

According to Main Branch Library Director Claudia Alemán, “the doors create a welcoming space for the auditorium and café area.”

The unit also adds great functionality to the facility; she explained, “if we are to have a big program and want everyone to hear what’s going on in the auditorium, we can open up the doors, so everyone is welcome.”

The ActivWall Horizontal Folding Doors can be partially open for small events, and when fully open, all eight panels fold away into a recessed pocket.

Upstairs on the third floor, a smaller five-panel unit is used to connect the library’s STEAM Innovation Lab to a smaller auditorium with amphitheater-style seating. The door for this space measures 204″ wide by 121″ high.

Gracey Gordon, STEAM Services Manager, noted it was very helpful for library programs to have flexible space. She said, “As the door opens up, we have space [in the auditorium] for patrons to sit and then float into the lab where we have our equipment set up.”

Both door units have brushed chrome handles and are custom-finished in a metallic powder coat to match the rest of the doors and windows in the facility.

Since designing the Durham County Main Library, VINES Architecture has received several awards and recognitions for the project including the AIA NC Merit Award: Design, the AIA Triangle Merit: Design, and the NOMA Award: Design.

See the Horizontal Folding Doors in Action

Acknowledgments: Story by Jennifer Doss. Photography by Jennifer Doss, Rob Connelly, and Mark Herboth. Video edited by Jennifer Doss. Narration by Kacel Witcher. Design by VINES Architecture. Construction by Skanska and Holt Brothers. Public Art by Volkan Alkanoglu | DESIGN LLC. Interior Design by Kaitlin Phelps. Building Engineering by Durham County: Peri Manns, and Brenda Bright. Windows by SPS Corporation and Horizontal Folding Doors by ActivWall. Special thank you to Claudia Alemán, Gracey Gordon, Sara Stephens, and Daniel Davis of the Durham County Main Branch Library.

Featured Projects

Durham County Public Library

September 20, 2021

A Garage to Office Renovation in PA

September 8, 2021

A Landisville, Pennsylvania couple converted their underused single car garage into a home office for remote work and a hub for entertaining.

A 30-Foot Wide ActivWall

September 7, 2021

One of our largest Horizontal Folding Doors ever produced, this 30-foot wide, 10-panel unit was custom designed for a homeowner near Richmond, Virginia. This addition to the home will be perfect for entertaining and enjoying indoor-outdoor living!

September 8, 2021September 10, 2021

A Garage to Office Renovation in PA

In early 2020 when the pandemic began shutting down the nation and world, Kelli and Mike Zban of Landisville, Pennsylvania saw an opportunity to convert their underused single car garage into a home office for remote work and a hub for entertaining. The garage is a separate space from the rest of the house and has its own entrance.

Kelli said, “Our house is small and has always had to perform more than one task.” While designing the multi-purpose space, she saw a gas strut window on an HGTV makeover and thought it would be a good fit for their project. Kelli found the ActivWall Gas Strut Window online, and the Zbans were connected with a local ActivWall dealer in their area, Overhead Door of Lancaster.

Kelli and Mike worked with Jim Adam at Overhead Door of Lancaster to order a custom built 96″ wide and 36″ high ActivWall Gas Strut Window for the space. The American-made window is constructed with thermally broken aluminum, insulated glass, and a raised sill to make it incredibly energy efficient. They chose to add ActivWall’s optional nailing flange to the product for easy installation and the window is finished with white powder coating and a two-point locking system.

Kelli’s go-to contractor Cliff H. and his helpers Jerry C. and Andy Mumma installed the Gas Strut Window. Kelli said, “My contractors are fearless! They had never seen nor heard of this type of gas strut window before but took on the job and did great installing it.”

The window faces out onto the garden and patio area, complete with a fire pit for cool evenings, and the sturdy gas struts on the window allow it to open up and out 90 degrees to create a perfect serving bar.

Kelli and Mike hired Indoor City of Lancaster, PA, to install a counter under the window that serves as a sitting area inside and an entertaining area outside. They worked with designer Jessica Tyson to select a hard marble for this space called Fantasy Brown.

Kelli said, “After 5, the workday is over, and we love the idea that we can travel outside to a ‘bar’ without incurring any risk (at this time of COVID) to enjoy our favorite beverages!” She added, “My husband is a cyclist and has enjoyed a few after-ride drinks with fellow riders.”

The Zbans noted that this office renovation has provided their small house with entertainment opportunities beyond the face value. Kelli explained, “The gas strut window transforms [the space] from day to evening, and we can even sit inside and watch the drizzle while the window is open.”

Later on, the Zbans plan to install a pull-down projection screen on the built-in shelving wall for movies. Truly a versatile space, this renovation project has created many opportunities for togetherness and enjoying the outdoors.

Acknowledgments:
Story by Jennifer Doss. Photos by Kelli Zban. Technical Guidance by Nikki Compton. Gas Strut Window by ActivWall. Featured Dealer – Overhead Door of Lancaster. Marble by Indoor City.