Worcester Library

Grand entrance: use of kiln-formed glass in automatic doors creates impressive, artistic 

People visiting the Worcester Public Library to invigorate their minds actually begin the process before entering the building, thanks to two sets of automatic sliding doors featuring exquisitely designed kiln-formed glass panels by internationally renowned glass artist Stephen Knapp.

Installed into a pair of DORMA Automatics ESA 500 fully powered automatic sliding door units, the kiln-formed glass portrays images that reflect Worcester’s heritage and the joy of learning. Bicycles, books, landscapes, polar bears, houses and dozens of more items – some distinct, some abstract – are depicted to please the eyes and engage the imagination.
A total of eight 1/2" thick glass panels (four at each entrance) were integrated into the DORMA units. No frames are used along the doors’ vertical edges, providing clean, unobstructed views of the images on the glass. Narrow headers and bottom rails secure the glass along the top and bottom edges.

Although Knapp, a resident of Worcester and frequent library visitor, has been commissioned to create kiln-formed glass installations worldwide, he said this current installation is the first ever used in sliding automatic doors. The visual appeal of the doors is surprisingly widespread, he said.

“The librarians have said it’s amazing how many people stop and just stare at the doors – even teenagers,” Knapp said. “That is a major compliment.”

“People love them,” said Penny Johnson, head librarian at the library. “The only challenging part is that they are moving doors. Visitors get up to the doors, then they move to open. But Stephen said that people should take what they can from it and simply enjoy what’s there.”

The unconventional glass may have been problematic for some manufacturers’ products, but Knapp said DORMA Automatics handled the job with aplomb.

“DORMA was willing to work with someone who wanted to do something unusual with their product. That doesn’t always happen with manufacturers,” he said. “They asked a lot of good questions and found the project interesting and challenging.”

With the ESA 500 automatic sliding door from DORMA Automatics, the Worcester Public Library also purchased an entry system that operates as well as it looks. It features a self-learning digital design that constantly monitors all critical door functions and adjusts itself automatically. A handheld terminal simplifies commissioning, adjustment and diagnostic processes with a multi-language, full-text LCD panel that displays all performance data and parameters. The belt-driven ESA series features an exclusive sound-dampening track that practically eliminates operational noise and stops vibration resonance from being transferred to building structures.

Kiln-formed glass is created by heating 1/2" thick glass over forms to create bas-relief imagery and textures. It is altered, shaped or textured by the extreme heat of the kiln, leaving one face of the glass textured and the other smooth and slightly undulated.

The installation of the new doors was part of a renovation and expansion project at the library.