I was intrigued to come across these video demonstrations of Austrian artist Klemens Torggler‘s door designs.
You can read more about the design at Gizmodo. I’m sure it’s clever, but what was wrong with the traditional type of door? Does this do anything better than the old design would have done? Is this intended to be an improvement, or just “art for art’s sake”?
I’d love to know how that door design would stand up to problems like extreme weather, attempts to break in through it, and so on. I doubt whether it could be made as strong as a one-piece door. Yes, yes, I know . . . I don’t have an artist’s soul. Prosaic reality’s more my thing.
Peter
The potential uses for this door are places where an ordinary swinging door wouldn't be practical, perhaps due to limited space beyond or behind the door. While such a thing can be overcome with a sliding door, this particular design has the advantage of not requiring a rail along the bottom which could disrupt transfer of things such as wheeled trolleys, anything on a rail system, or anything being slid along the floor.
It would also appear that it'll allow a door larger than usual to be opened near effortlessly.
It would seem to me that the door provides far less security than a standard door and would not be practical for an outside entrance/exit door. No door frame, no weather sealing, no place for a typical lock. Not bug proof.
Incredibly neat and original design, but it's art.
1cm thick steel and you could put a steel grove on the far side that it would lock into. The for a latch something the goes through the frame on the right block it from reopening. A pin would probably do it.
Security wise it might be better than a swing door.
Weather wise it seems hard to seal. Maybe for an inner security door?
I'm with m4 & Bob, above. T'would make a cool interior door, but exterior? Not so much.
Good way to lose a finger…
Scissoring steel plates are not friendly.
Could be useful in a pocket door application, with the obvious benefit of eliminating the rails / tracks that the pocket doors normally require.
Lol, yeah definitely more art than anything, but I suppose there's the fact that it would at least slow down someone who didn't know how it works.
PINCH POINTS!
Russ
Well, y'know, the thing about robbers is that they've been failed by society; it's a moral imperative to give them everything they want, to counter past microoppressions and blah blah blah.
Neat? Sure.
Trippy? Oh, with bells on.
Artsy and neatly designed? Definitely.
Useless? Big time.
The things a regular swinging door won't do can be handled by a sliding or pocket door just as well without all the moving bits or pinch hazards.
Funny you should ask, as my new house has a studio bedroom with an en-suite bathroom that is currently doorless.
A standard swing-door would be very inconvenient in this location because of floor elevations (wonky old house…) and room geometry.
There is existing hardware that indicates a bi=fold door had been in use (also has pinch points), but pocket-doors, sliders, and bi-fold doors all make noise in use that would disturb a sleeping room occupant.
I've been puzzled about what to do to have a door for privacy that could not swing in (toilet in the way) could not swing out (floor rising away from opening, and would not have the rumble common to pocket, sliding, and bifold doors. I think I have my solution.
Some men see an overly complex door and ask why.
I dream of door designs that never were and ask why not?