GEZE has its stylish automatic doors and manual closers installed in five of the six buildings shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize.

The UK’s leading manufacturer of door and window control systems, GEZE UK, has been the supplier of choice for the entrances and doorways of these prestigious developments, by architects and contractors who demanded not just accessibility and sustainability, but also aesthetics and quality.

The eye-catching Olympic Velodrome, designed by Hopkins Architects, combines grace and simplicity, so GEZE’s economical yet high-capacity Powerdrive PL automatic sliding operators were ideal for its large, heavy main doors, providing both convenience and safety, which are the trademarks of the Powerdrive operator.

At the Angel Building in London, designed by architectural firm Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, GEZE’s premium, electro-mechanical EMD-F drives for swing doors were specified to provide virtually silent automated access. Part of the Slimdrive range, the compact EMD-F operator is just 7cm high, providing a minimalism that complements the refinement and elegance of this high-end speculative office space.

GEZE UK was also called on to install new all-glass entrances at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC’s) multi-million pound Transformation project. GEZE’s popular Slimdrive SL sliding automatic door operators were chosen to enable easy access at both ends of the modern glass colonnade, designed by architects Bennetts Associates, which connects the two historic theatres. Thirty GEZE floor springs with brass plates, an automatic swing door operator at the stage door and manual door closers were also installed throughout the building.

The EMD-F operators and a Slimdrive SL were also chosen for the Evelyn Grace Academy, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, combining aesthetics with flexibility, reliability and safety. The top requirements at this large school were durability, functionality and safe access for all children, parents and staff, so GEZE’s reputation for quality fitted the bill.

At the large, light-filled Folkwang Museum in Essen, Germany, more than 130 of GEZE’s TS 4000 and TS 5000 ISM surface mounted rack and pinion door closers have been installed throughout the public building, complementing the understated and elegant design by David Chipperfield Architects.
Andrew Hall, managing director at GEZE UK said: "We are thrilled that all of these exciting projects have been shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize. It is an amazing achievement for everyone involved and I believe that it’s testament to GEZE's commitment to accreditation and quality and our investment in new products and innovation, that our products feature in five of the most influential architectural developments of the last year.”