Groninger Forum
In 2007, a professional jury and the residents of the city of Groningen chose the design of what was going to be one of the most prestigious buildings of the city: the new Groninger Forum.
This new building was to become a meeting point for all residents, old and young, and house a variety of different spaces with different functions such as a library, cafes, cinemas, a museum and exhibition spaces. The building was opened in November 2019 and the design of both the interior and exterior truly exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Top-grade designs
The design of the building, created by NL Architects, was chosen out of seven propositions that were submitted by international architectural firms. The term eyecatcher does not do it justice: it is 45 meters tall consisting of ten floors and a top terrace and can be admired from far and wide.
The local interior builders of Harryvan Interieurbouw crafted almost every piece of fixed furniture found in the Forum, designed by DeMunnik-DeJong-Steinhauser architects and &Prast&Hooft. They also created seven pivot doors on different floors, and the FritsJurgens System M pivot hinge was applied in all of them. Product Manager Large Doors of Harryvan Interieurbouw, Collin Hamming: “FritsJurgens pivot hinges are top-grade products. Whenever we create something, the best quality is what we want to work with.”
Learn about the different features of System M, System 3 and System One.
Words by the architect
The 17.000 square meters of the Forum and the shapes inside it are described by their makers of NL Architects as ‘stacked squares’, ‘horizontal tentacles’, and ‘a search engine’. In between the two towers is a large open space crossed by escalators, the atrium.
NL Architects: “This atrium is a spatial ‘interface’, linking all of the building’s amenities, thereby enhancing the confrontation of opinions and the exchange of knowledge and ideas. In a sense, the Forum is like the built version of Wikipedia. It is conceived like a ‘search engine’. You can endlessly browse the building. Those who do so can expect to find more than they bargained for.”
Special application
Two completely different kinds of doors were both executed perfectly: a bamboo row of doors closing off or opening up a private café and two oversized, felt-covered doors providing peace and quiet for hard workers.
In one of the towers on the 8th floor of the Forum you find two felt-covered pivot doors. The doors close off a study and work area and have a special extra feature: they are soundproof. The 1 cm thick layer of felt that covers the pivot doors is made from recycled PET bottles, a light material that is blocks sound and provides great acoustics. It is cut out to playfully create the sentence ‘you have the right to remain silent’. FritsJurgens’ System M pivot hinge was applied in both doors. Collin: “The hinges are fully integrated in the doors and therefore invisible. Usability and design with the ultimate luxurious appearance.”
Discover more ways to integrate FritsJurgens pivot hinges in your pivot door design.
Smart installation
One of the reasons why Harryvan works with FritsJurgens pivot hinges is the ease with which the doors can be installed. In just four steps the door is in place and ready to use. Collin: “Mounting the doors can be done quickly. Here, the same specialists usually take care of that. The systems have high usability because they are very easy to apply.”
Mounting a pivot door with a FritsJurgens hinge is always done in four steps: measuring, mounting the floor plate, mounting the ceiling plate and mounting the door. When System M is applied, the movement of the door can be adjusted to your desire with Damper Control. This allows you to control the force of the hydraulic backcheck and soft-close functions. Absolute control with FritsJurgens Inside.
Groninger Forum pivot doors
Versatility of pivot doors
The Newsroom is connected to a large hall, the Rabozaal, which is used for events, congresses, and concerts. The Newsroom has its own bar and is used for the catering of events in the Rabozaal. Various windows provide a splendid view of the city of Groningen.
The four tall, bamboo pivoting doors of the Newsroom were created by Harryvan and are all fitted with System M pivot hinges by FritsJurgens. Made out of the same material as the hall and the magnificent spiraling staircase, the pivot doors blend in flawlessly when closed. It is a beautiful example of how a pivoting wall exceeds its function of a passage.
These two kinds of pivot doors in the Groninger Forum have completely different designs and show the versatility of what can be created with the concept of a pivot door. Light or heavy, big or small, modest or grotesque: unlimited design possibilities with FritsJurgens Inside.