Clark Door are proud to have designed, manufactured and installed specialist high performance doors for the prestigious Library of Birmingham. The project’s main contractor engaged Clark Door to provide a 3m x 5m vertical sliding acoustic door to act as a sound barrier between the performance spaces and the library, as well as a large steel hatch door that provides back of house access to the upper part of the building.
Designed by Dutch architects Mecanoo, the building is at the cultural heart of the city. It cost £186m, and formed a key part of Birmingham’s ‘big city’ regeneration plan. It was Shortlisted for RIBA Stirling Prize in 2014, the UK’s most prestigious prize for new buildings.
The intricate steel lattice work that covers the outside of the building was designed to represent both the city’s industrial past and its heritage in jewellery making. It reflects the daylight to create ever-changing shadows on the library’s walls and floors.
The Library of Birmingham comprises performance spaces, rooftop terraces and a large glass-topped central book rotunda that rises through the middle of the building. It shares an entrance way and performance studio with the neighbouring Repertory Theatre.
When asked for feedback on the Clark acoustic doors, Daniel Evans, the site manager for the main contractor said:
‘If only all the sub-contractors on site had been as easy to work with as Clark Door.
The door at the back of the stage is the only one that when shut keeps the noise from entering the stage – during performances it is always closed.
The hatch door is great for allowing us to keep fresh air coming into the upper part of the building or closing it when it is very cold outside. It has worked reliably and is an ideal design for getting our material deliveries into the upper part of the building safely and efficiently.
The doors have been very reliable since they were installed a couple of years ago. We only had one problem where we couldn’t work out why the door would not go up, once we figured out that someone had turned off the power we discovered that if we closed the door it then recalibrated its limits and we had no problems!’
Clark Door are proud to have received such positive feedback from our client on such a prestigious project.
