Sometimes a product grabs your attention and you simply want to let others know about it under the topic, "too cool not to blog about." The new Monarch by Hufcor lift & slide doors were featured in the May online issue of Interiors & Sources magazine. And, as I was reviewing this listing, I saw a feature article about Barrio-Carrero winning the prestigious Beard Foundation for restaurant design award. Congrats to them, but holy cow, what really caught my attention was the retractable roof/ceiling that covers the outside patio area.
You gotta watch this demonstration of the En-fold product at the Juvia Restaurant in Florida. Nifty stuff.
Folks like me in the movable wall industry get excited about building products that move. Hope you all find this fascinating and your local weather is good enough to be sitting outdoors this Friday afternoon.
I can image sitting outdoors at the Juvia Restaurant would be cool under that awesome canopy. And like this folding movable canopy, the Monarch by Hufcor movable glass walls systems help create light-filled, climate controlled spaces that combine indoor comfort with outdoor living. With large retractable bug screens, your interior spaces benefit from natural cooling airflow without pesky insects. To see more about the Monarch by Hufcor products featured in the Interiors & Sources magazine, watch the short video below.
These products scream flexibility for residential and commercial spaces. For more information on cool Monarch by Hufcor glasswall and retractable screens click below.
Last fall, McGraw-Hill published new statistics on Building Information Modeling (BIM) usage among the design community. The report, "Business Value of BIM in North American Report: 2007-2012", described how usage among architectural firms was up to 71% and contractors were engaged in BIM more than 74% of the time. The study revealed an overall growth of 75% in usage and implementation in BIM over just a two year period. This rapid implementation is leading to better managed projects, lower building costs, energy savings and, frankly, a lot of anxiety among everyone, including manufactures, involved in implementing and creating usable content to be included within an overall BIM project.
Since Hufcor first published BIM Revit families for our Summit vertical lift partition systems in 2011, we have learned much about the benefits and pitfalls of working with 3D architectural models. Most good, some bad. That's why I wanted to share an article I read this morning published in Building Design+Construction magazine. The article, written by Jared Krieger, project architect at Gensler's Washington DC office, really resonated with me. Click here to read the article titled, "6 Lessons I've Learned About Managing Complex BIM/VDC-Driven Projects". Mr. Krieger articulates concisely some key steps learned during a twin-tower student residence project at George Mason University. (As an aside, its seems making the NCAA Final Four is almost always proceded with increased student applications and new construction projects. Donors and high school seniors love a winner.)
The Building Design+Construction article's key points:
1. Don't overcomplicate the BIM execution plan.
2. Get smart about clash detection.
3. Put in prep time for virtual coordination meetings.
4. Apply the "two-inch rule."
5. Get to know your subcontractor's BIM experts.
6. Watch the consultants' display backgrounds
These are right on even from the perspective of a building products manufacturer. Within the first point, Mr. Krieger outlines a few subpoints within the execution plan, including mentioning model sizes. If one thing the Hufcor team has learned about working with design teams is Revit object sizes are critical to fitting products into an overall project's model. So as we worked with our expert BIM consulting team at Eppstein Uhen BIM/Extents in Milwaukee, our goal was to create our 600 Series operable partition models as "light" as possible. Maintain complete fuctionality, but keep the Revit families small, as to not overload the architect's overall project model. Architects fight model sizes all the time. More function with smaller file size is a key to successful project, as is working as a trusted consultant to the BIM team at the firm.
Hufcor Revit families (2012/2013 versions) are extremely detailed as well, but we also applied the "two-inch" rule in modeling our tracking systems and bottom seal mechanisms. We have many overhead track options, but our models don't get too complicated in determining the exact sizings. We offer one size for most openings and another larger size for very tall projects. That's what the architectural team needs for clash detection purposes above the ceilings. However, when designing storage pocket sizes, a very critical dimension affecting many interior design elements, the Hufcor Revit families calculate sizing automatcially and in more specific detail. Our dynamic Revit drawings actually communicate to the architect's BIM team what OUR critical dimension priorities are - where the "Two-Inch Rule" can be applied and where we really don't think that it should be. Understanding that rule and how to communicate to the architect's BIM team is very essential in large scale BIM projects.
My final comment about the article is one of working with the subcontractor's BIM experts. Frankly, I know that Mr. Krieger was refering to the many BIM outside consultants that subcontract with the firm, but we agree that key suppliers need to have experts to coordinate with the firm. That is why Hufcor has a BIM pointperson on staff to assist architects on complicated designs using operable partitions. And, when we need assistance over our own capabilities, we call on our trusted partners at Eppstein Uhen BIM/Extents for assistance.
To learn more specifics about Hufcor Revit families, please watch a short video:
I encourage you all to read the Building Design+Construction article and recommend that you see Gensler's Jared Krieger speak at the AIA Convention in Denver on June 21. For those attending the AIA show, we too ask that you stop by our booth (#3530) to meet Hufcor's BIM point person, Craig Gibeaut. Craig will be demonstrating the new dynamic Hufcor Revit families and answering questions about designing operable partitions within your projects.
Working on a project now that requires an operable partition? Download the Hufcor Revit Families by clicking below.
Hufcor announces a new digital Architectural Products Manual for our full-line of movable walls, accordion doors and glasswall partitions. The AEC community has been requesting a downloadable version of manufacturers' architects manuals as firms transition away from large sample liabraries and look to implement "green" practices.
The new Hufcor APM includes more than 250 pages of product information, specifications, product literature and acoustical training. The key benefits of the manual are:
1. Interactive links to video demonstrations of Hufcor products to help you make product selections.
2. Links to additional "specification recommendations" in MasterSpec formats to incorporate into your projects.
3. Links to editable specifications
4. Links to CAD and BIM drawings (click here to see new Hufcor BIM drawings)
5. Embedded links to product photos for use in client presentations
6. Video links to new products like Monarch by Hufcor movable glass walls and Summit vertical lift partitions
7. Direct links to your local Hufcor distributor for immediate local assistance
8. Complete digital color swatching of Hufcor standard finishes, including the new Acoustical Harmony sculpted wallcoverings made from 100% post consumer BPA-free plastic bottles.
With the new digital APM, architects with registered versions will be continually updated on any additions or edits to the Hufcor product line on a quarterly basis. By using the digital manual and updating quarterly, you can be confident that you'll be working with the most current product updates and features.
The manual contains more than 250 pages outlining the features, benefits and specifications for Hufcor's complete line of operable partitions, accordion doors and movable glass walls. The manual has easy-to-find navigation using interactive tabs and searching capabilities to get you quickly to the Hufcor product information you need for your specific projects.
The digital APM marks another step in Hufcor's efforts at reducing printed materials and supporting sustainable business practices.
To SIGN UP for Hufcor's new Digital Architectural Product Manual, click the link below.
Hufcor is very excited about a new wallcovering finish choice - Acoustical Harmony. Hufcor Acoustical Harmony is a unique line of sculpted carpets fabricated 100% from recycled plastic bottles. Acoustical Harmony is offered in a handful of patterns and selected color choices and offers an alternative to standard "ribbed" carpets available for decades.
Acoustical Harmony is the only non-woven wallcovering product made in the USA from 100% post-consumer recycled pastic bottles. The technology uses 15 pastic bottles to create 1 yard of acoustical wallcovering that can be recycled back into fiber at the end of it's lifecycle. Hufcor has already begun applying the Acoustical Harmony to projects, including The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Proximity Hotel is the nation's first LEED® Platinum hotel. (In addition to the meeting room partitions shown below, Hufcor installed a series of Hufcor movable glasswall systems to divide the lobby spaces into private social areas, helping to achieve LEED daylighting and recycled materials credit.)
Acoustical Harmony folding door wallcoverings use patented Fosshield®, a material science and fiber technology that is an FDA cleared protection, incorporating silver and copper ions into the root fiber which naturally attack microbes, delivering extraordinary antimicrobial defense. Certifications include:
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UL Classified - Fire Rating - Class A/ASTM E-84
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NFPA 265 Corner Burn for Textile Wallcovering
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UL Environmental-Certified recycled content
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LEED - Contributes toward overall project certification (recycled content)
Acoustical Harmony wallcovering delivers both an important environmental statement and a visually beautiful, sculpted design story. In addition, this fantastic wallcovering has a noise reduction rating up to .25 NRC helping to bring a more tranquil noise level within the meeting rooms using the Hufcor operable partitions. Not only does it gobble up microbes, it eats up sound waves. Beauty and function are all in harmony.
Interested in learning more? Visit "Acoustical Harmony from Hufcor" to see the full line of available patterns and colors.
Hufcor Freshens Up Vinyl & Fabric Finishes
Hufcor has recently updated our complete line of operable partition and accordion door finishes to meet the changing color trends in commercial spaces. All of the standard selections of vinyls, fabrics and carpets have new colors and patterns to meet the tastes of designers and your clients. Of course, color trends and patterns are critical to creating pleasant decors and are contantly changing. The new Hufcor standard patterns were designed and selected to meet the upcoming trends and styles for the next generation of operable partitions.
Some highlights to the vinyls include:
Some of the main color trends include more blues, oranges and lime colors, trends that Hufcor is seeing within lots of customer-supplied materials recently. To review all of the new digital color cards, please link to "Hufcor Finishes."
If your operable partition or accordion door projects are in need of a facelift or are looking for some new options in standard wall coverings, including the new Acoustical Harmony, contact your local Hufcor distributor today.
Hufcor® is excited to launch our new dynamic Revit® families for the 600 Series operable partitions. Our newly produced families were developed in conjunction with Eppstein Uhen Architects, Inc., Milwaukee, WI and beta tested by a team of architects prior to launch to ensure the families meet the ever-changing needs of the AEC community. The new Hufcor Revit families eliminate the major downsides found with current movable partition BIM objects available in the market today and enhance the way architects can quickly incorporate critical elements of an operable partition within a model.
Hufcor's new "smarter" BIM Revit families includes:
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Dynamic, wall-to-wall object placement allowing designers to modify the size of the partition without having to download another family or get "broken" objects.
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The "smarter" BIM families will automatically calculate and model operable partition storage pocket dimensions with and without pocket doors
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The Revit families allow "on the fly" application of accessories (pass doors, marker boards, pocket doors, window lites, etc.)
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The Hufcor BIM file sizes average less than 700kb making them "extremely light," nearly 66% - 75% smaller than current BIM content from other typical op wall suppliers
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Architects can embed links to Hufcor's online specifications and MasterSpec® subscribers can set up links directly within each Revit family to a corresponding Hufcor 600 Series Product MasterSpec and SpecAgent® file to incorporate a formated specification consistent with your Revit model.
For more details, please watch a video demonstration of how these new Hufcor 600 Series operable partition Revit families are truly the next generation of dynamic Revit content.
Hufcor beta testers were really wonderful in improving functionality that architects really desire. Here's what beta users are saying:
"Wow, I’ve only played around a little so far – but these are really nice.. been waiting for something like this for YEARS"
"Perhaps the most important feature for me is the ability to adjust panel width/number of panels so we can manipulate the pocket proportion. Nice work!"
If you'd like us to email you the new Hufcor "smarter" BIM Revit families click below.
Hufcor distributors can assist you as well in designing your operable partitions and receiving the new BIM revit drawings. Certainly, the Hufcor 600 Series partitions are exported throughout the world for major projects requiring very tall panels. Yet, for architects outside the United States, the Hufcor 600 Series product and new Revit families may not be available or applicable for your specific project. To contact the local representative and to find the quality Hufcor products manufactured in your region, please click here.
Building Information Modeling's future depends of higher performing content that doesn't take up massive file sizes. Hufcor's development team spent painstaking time in programming the new Revit families to provide efficient file sizes. Architects that have had previews of the drawings have all raved about how small the files are to work with, even when dealing with large, complicated projects like the one shown below.
With the new BIM Revit families, the Hufcor, Inc. design team can assist architects developing complicated layouts with many of the traditional accessories items required on a project - pass doors, panic hardware, marker boards, field-applied face finishes, etc.
With all of the built-in functionality, we hope you too share Hufcor's excitement with our new BIM Revit families for the 600 Series operable partitions.
Last weekend, Hufcor's VP Sales & Marketing, Mark Blanchard, was quoted in an article in the Janesville Gazette business section about strong exports being reported from Rock County, Janesville, WI area companies. Currently, Hufcor is on pace for near record levels of exported operable partitions to projects all over the globe - Chile, Qatar, India, Saudi Arabia, Russia, United Kingdom, Korea, Brazil, Australia and many others. Although Hufcor has 12 additional manufacturing facilities throughout the world, our export business remains strong from our corporate facility located in Janesville, WI. Why? I believe that the quality of our moveable walls are a reflection of the Midwestern work ethic of our workforce. Even in delicate economic times, our dedicated, quality-conscience teams build the best operable partitions in the world - rooted right here in Janesville, WI.
But this is nothing new for Janesville. Janesville has always been home of some of the most recognizable, quality brands on the planet. Parker Pen was founded in Janesville and remains an internationally recognized brand of high-end writing instruments. When I was in Hong Kong recently, my hotel room overlooked a huge billboard promoting the Parker brand. A little piece of home while I was half-way across the world. The Parker brand continues to be an international standard for quality writing instruments. All started here in Janesville.
Did you all know that a famous farm implement super store chain, Blain's Farm & Fleet, is based in Janesville? Most people in this part of the country agree, "that if Farm & Fleet doesn't have it, you don't need it." Down to earth, real value products for everyday living are core values of the products within Farm & Fleet and the people of Janesville.
And, of course, for decades General Motors built all sorts of different automobiles, trucks and SUVs in a huge assembly facility in Janesville. Even though the GM plant has closed, hundreds of the workforce still commute to different GM plants to assemble cars and trucks. The people of Janesville being exported to build quality GM cars.
Speaking of people exports, by now, you probably know that one of Janesville's most famous "exports" nearly was elected vice-president of the United States. Janesville's own, Paul Ryan, the republican vice-vresidential candidate, calls Janesville, WI home. (Pictured here on the USS Wisconsin battleship in Virginia.)
No matter what side of the political fense we as individuals that make up the Hufcor family fall, we've gotta be proud of Janesville's now most famous export, Paul Ryan. What most of the country didn't see about Paul was that he also was running for his local congressional seat. During that local campaign, Paul ran a series of commercials seen only on Wisconsin television stations that were filmed at the Hufcor headquarter's main production facility.
I guess even Paul recognized the value of the Hufcor brand. Interesting enough, while filming these commercials, Hufcor was assembling panels to be exported to Doha, Qatar.
What struck me during Paul's vice-presidential campaign was how close to home he really was as he traveled the country giving speeches and meeting with the American public. Because as he stumpped in huge convention centers, hotel ballrooms, universities and school gymnasiums, there we were, the Hufcor operable partitions that divided these spaces, standing behind our local export. Nearly every night, you could see quick video clips of Paul standing in front of Hufcor operable partitions.
In places like:
Boston Convention Center, Boston, MA
General Mitchell Field Airport, Milwaukee, WI
West Springfield School District, Springfield, VA
Craig High School, Janesville, WI
We don't know if Paul ever realized that in many places he was, there we were standing tall behind him. A little home town touch in a grueling, hard fought campaign. We congratulate his efforts and for being reelected to congress representing Hufcor's district.
Be it a national political candidate, a set of new tires from Farm & Fleet, a precision writing instrument like Parker Pen or the world's leading brand of operable partitions from Hufcor, we are proud of our Janesville roots. Roots that run deep and being exported all around the globe. For more information on Hufcor operable partition exports, visit us at www.hufcor.com.
Since April, I've blogged a couple of times about the Hufcor® SMARTITION™ rotating walls. And I've tried not to get too marketing-centric in my enthusiasm for the product. But, what the heck, we sometimes simply need to toot your own horn once in a while. Here at Hufcor we’re always looking for and listening to our customers for the next big idea in moveable walls—the next innovation that will take our clients’ projects to the next level of flexibility. With our SMARTITION rotating wall solution, our goal was to optimize interactive classroom technology, providing a solution for educational institutions that want to share technology across multiple classrooms and at the same time have a flexible rotating wall that provides fixed room configurability and access from room to room.
Since we introduced the SMARTITION, we’ve been recognized by the Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI) as a top design and been included in the AST&R ZoN: School of the Future project. And now we’re thrilled to announce that we’ve received the 2012 Product Innovation Award from Architectural Products magazine. The award was announced in the November issue of AP, which highlights top innovations from across the industry as voted by an independent group of industry professionals.
This award has everyone's head spinning here at Hufcor. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself with that one.) Seriously, though, the engineering, customer support and manufacturing teams should be proud of this new product development and launch for the SMARTITION rotating wall system.
During my two decades plus of marketing and selling space division products, architects and owners have asked me hundreds of times, "what product is most efficient?" and I always recommend paired-panel folding partitions. Recently, CSI MasterFormat even changed the name of operable partitions listed within Section 10-22-26 to a new section called "Folding Panel Partitions", 10-22-39. I guess even the expert specifiers have come to realize that folding partitions are the most efficient and effective ways to divide a room wall-to-wall. I'm certainly not suggesting that omni (single panel) directional or electric folding aren't also very good, but for the most efficient "bang for your space division buck," paired panel folding partitions are my recommended choice.
The above photo demonstrates a paired-panel folding partition. Folding partitions are designed to divide rooms efficiently by hinging two single operable partition panels together to work as a pair. Each partition has a carrier at the top of each panel that glides smoothly along a straight piece of overhead track. (This system shown also includes an exclusive finish from Hufcor: RG Designer Series Rotogravure Paint. For more details on this durable, 5-coat finish, please visit RG Designer Series.)
Because the panels are hinged together, the pairs can be set up very quickly to fill the opening. The video below demonstrates the operation of Hufcor paired panels. A quick-set seal system activates both panels at the same time. Then, the final lever closure system is extended to apply force across the opening to seal the vertical joints to reduce any sound leaks around the panels.
Folding paired panel partitions can be provided in many different types of movable wall systems.
Acoustically rated operable partitions used in offices, schools, hotels, convention centers, religious facilities are most common and installed within almost anywhere someone needs to divide a space quickly. Because folding partitions are both easy to install and use, they are designed into nearly every type of commercial building project. Paired panel partitions have tested acoustical ratings ranging from 43 dB - 55 dB, thus provide a versatile choice for architects and acousticians requiring different acoustical performance.
Frameless Movable Glass Walls also are provided as folding partitions. Paired panel movable glass walls are easy to move and operate especially for retail openings as shown in the photo for Buffalo Wild Wings.
Acoustically rated glass walls work extremely well as paired panel systems. Again, acoustical movable glasswall systems provide an acoustic separation yet allow natural light to enter into the rooms. To read more about acoustical glasswall systems, click my recent blog post "benefits of acoustical glass walls". Here's a unique design using Hufcor acoustical folding glass walls that divide a long narrow foyer into small offices. The new Hufcor lever closure panel is shown here, a special feature exclusively from Hufcor.
Timberframed glasswall panel systems are also configured in paired panel folding partitions. The richness of wood framed glasswalls and the convenience of paired panels is evident in the photo below.
Folding paritions are also very easy to stack either at one or both ends of the overhead track. The ease of stacking is another reason architects and owners often choose paired panels. You can see how easy the stack is of the above timber-framed glass partition installed at a Hampton Inn separating the breakfast serving area from the main lobby.
Cost effeciency, convenience and flexibility. Three key reasons I continue to recommend the use of paired panels. For more information on folding partitions, visit www.hufcor.com or contact a Hufcor authorized distributor in your territory, today!
Today's office environments can clearly benefit from the daylighting, sound separation and aesthetic advantages offered by Hufcor® acoustic glass folding doors. (And believe me, as I write this blog I sit at my desk in Hufcor's corporate offices space built within a second story mezzenaine located directly in the middle of our 300,000 s.f. US manufacturing plant. Nope, I virtually have no access to outdoor light. Yet, obviously architects and designers forgive us as Hufcor folding glass partitions are quickly becoming the industry standard for movable, acoustically rated glass wall systems. I guess that our yearning for more light within our own offices has really inspired the Hufcor engineers and designers!)
Office environments are in need of folding doors to provide flexible use of spaces. Yet, traditional folding doors are designed to stop both sound and light from entering rooms. By using newly improved acoustically rated glass folding doors, schools and offices create interior spaces that have the flexibility they need and allow natural light to enter deep into office environments.
Daylighting Advantages of Acoustic Glass Movable Walls
Certainly all the research supports that humans learn more effectively in schools and office settings, are more productive and healthier within interior environments with natural lighting. A great review of the facts can be found within the National Renewable Energy Labortory report by L. Edwards and P. Torcelli titled, "A Literature Review of the Effects of Natural Light on Building Occupants." A quick scan of this report will clearly outline the benefits of daylighting on occupants within offices, schools, retailing, health care facilities and industrial buildings. In all of these cases, Hufcor's acoustical glass partitions offer advantages for maintaining flexibility and allowing light to enter into meeting spaces and deeper into the building.
LEED® certified buildings need to achieve high levels of direct daylighting often more than 75% of direct access to natural light within the inner spaces within the building. LEED IEQ 8.1 outline these requirements. Acoustical glass partitions from Hufcor can assist in achieving these requirments. Shown above, the glass folding doors create a small meeting room and allow natural light to enter the larger meeting space in the foreground. Both spaces have direct access to the exterior natural light creating more productive work spaces.
For installations like this one, Hufcor has a magnetically operated inside-the-glass mini blind system to actually block some of the direct sunlight during times when the glare is interfering with a meeting or visual privacy is needed.
Acoustical Advantages of Hufcor Movable Glass Walls
The above photo demonstrates a newly installed Hufcor acoustically-rated movable glass wall at a school. The glass folding door divides a group study hall from a main entrance corridor of the school. The Hufcor acoustic glass wall system is designed to provide an acoustical barrier between the corridor space that is often quite loud and the quiet study hall area. The panels are installed with dual glazed glass with a minimal 3/8" glass thickness in each glass lite. This combination of glass layers provide a 44 STC between the two spaces.
To learn more about daylighting benefits in schools and office productivity written by MIT professor, Marilyne Andersen, link to "Studies on Daylight" to review technologies working to improve accessing natural light.
Aesthetic Benefits of Moveable Glass Doors
In addition to daylighting and acoustical advantages of glass folding doors, one welcomed feature is the aesthetic nature of glass. Custom patterns, etching, decals and even writing surfaces are all being used with acoustical glass wall systems to provide stunning interior designs. By using etched or frosted translucent glass lites, the panels continue to provide natural light to enter the room, but also provide a level of privacy.
Another benefit of clear glass operable partitions is that you can actually see the interior designs of adjacent rooms as well. Businesses spend great amounts on furnishings and decorative wall accents to create inviting environments then, all too often, close the designs off using traditional operable partitions and folding doors. Acoustical glasswall allow these interiors to continue to provide the aesthetic surroundings intended by a designer and the functionality needed with an operable partition.
For more information about acoustically-rated glass folding doors, visit www.hufcor.com or contact an authorized Hufcor distributor.
Hufcor has a new movable wall product that'll make your head spin: SMARTITION™ rotating wall systems. The SMARTITION rotating wall is designed to provide schools and commercial offices flexibility similar to operable partitions without the need to stack the wall.
Recently at a Council of Education Facility Planners International (CEFPI) Midwest regional meeting, I met with some of the top education facility architects in the world, including representatives from Fanning & Howey, PBK, Perkins+Will, Cunningham Group, DLR Group, HGA, and others. During one-on-one meetings, we discussed the use of traditional operable partitions or movable walls to divide school classrooms. Concensus was that operable walls did provide great benefits when used properly, but, in many cases teachers used the walls as large, bulletin boards. We've all seen this where the walls are plastered with artwork and educational posters. Ultimately, these materials make it almost impossible (and very improbable) that the walls will ever be moved to open up the classroom for group interaction or team teaching.
The architects' candid input was consistent with what Hufcor was seeing within the schools over the past decade. And, this was the same reason back in 2010 that the Keller ISD in Texas was looking for a large door system that could offer similar acoustical separation and flexibility to open up spaces, but rotated and instead of stacked. So, based on Hufcor's end-user experiences and the Keller ISD request, we designed the SMARTITION rotating wall system.
These large rotating doors, customized up to 9' wide x 12' tall in size, are self-supported by Hufcor's patented Unispan® overhead support system. As such, the SMARTITION can be installed in new and existing walls. The doors are designed to have up to an additional 300 lbs of equipment or work surfaces added to the face, easily supporting electronics, projectors and removable markerboards.
With the rotating SMARTITION door, teachers can still cover the door with teaching aides, yet rotate the door to get the flexibility required. Teachers and school districts maintain the benefits of flexible space that can be integrated with teachers' needs to hang the teaching aides and artwork. At Keller ISD, the school designed a custom removable markerboard system that allows students to remove small markerboards to work in groups or solve a problem within the room, then post and demonstrate the results within the built-in marker board trays. This ingenious design by the Keller district staff improves classroom participation and group interaction.
The SMARTITION rotating doors are pre-installed with conduit for electric and data lines. As such, the doors provide schools and offices a way to share technology from room to room. Imagine mounting a large flat screen high definition television on one side of the SMARTITION facing a conference room. Then, if needed for a group meeting in a lobby or joint office training room, the wall could be rotated and the television shared.
The SMARTITION rotating doors can also have low throw projectors and interactive white boards installed. In the photo above, the Hufcor corporate training facility has a SMARTITION installed with a Hitachi StarBoard system. The StarBoard system can turn any standard markerboard or permanent wall into a interactive white board. These two systems mount magnetically to the face of the steel backed markerboard and connect to a CPU and projector. Plug and play, and your marker board becomes completely interactive with online access, interactive teaching software and teaching aides found with all of the most commonly used interactive white boards at a fraction of the cost.
The SMARTITION can also be installed with markerboard faces. The architects at the CEFPI meeting agreed that using markerboard faces actually provides more flexible work surfaces to teachers and "discourages" the wall from becoming a pin cushion. Furthermore, the sentiment was that because the technology could be shared from room-to-room, that added value to the school districts installing SMARTITION.
The design concept was so successfully beta tested at the Keller ISD, that this past fall, the architects at AST&R in Minneapolis incorporated the SMARTITION system within their submission for the "Classroom of the Future: 2021" contest at CEFPI's national convention. The project was deemed "Best of Show" and incorporated three of Hufcor's new products launched within the past year: SMARTITION, acoustical glass wall with mini blinds and exterior HydrauLift™ bifold doors. Click this link, docs/ZoN; Hufcor Featured Products_low res.doc, to see how AST&R used the Hufcor products within their ZoN classroom.
For more information on the movable walls that spin, download the product flier "SMARTITION Rotating Walls" or visit Hufcor's website at "Smartition will make your head spin!"