Pivot door design has evolved significantly in the past years, skillfully uniting design innovation and precision engineering to create a new type of door. In light of this, FritsJurgens' Best Pivot Door Contest awards the best designs in the field, which has just wrapped up its 2023 edition. With over 130 submissions worldwide and an esteemed jury panel, the following winners have been selected.
Best Exterior Pivot Door 2023 Winner
FritsJurgens hardware is known in the world of exterior pivot doors and this year's winner highlights exactly the scope of application that can be achieved. With over 60 submissions in the exterior category, it is the most popular category.
Hardwood Projects and Details by Ned
- Australia | Photographed by Prutti
- Top pivot: TP-70
- Bottom pivot: System M+
"This door, a collaboration between Hardwood Projects and Details by Ned, is a highly custom creation. Every part, except the pivot, was made by us or Ned, including the steel plates and handle and a modified mortise lock.
Constructed by Hardwood Projects, the doors feature steel frames clad with recycled Mixed Australian Red Hardwoods, insulated to withstand Canberra’s climate. The steel internal frames ensure lasting alignment with the hardware. They’re double-sealed with brush and rubber seals, including a custom-steel threshold for water protection.
Using top-quality materials, the doors incorporate the FritsJurgens System M+ pivot. Each door weighs 290 kg and measures 3180 mm tall by 1450 mm wide, requiring ten people to maneuver due to their size and weight."
Best Interior Pivot Door 2023 Winner
With over 30 submissions in the interior category, the applications demonstrate the adoption of the trend of interior pivot doors. Steel-framed and aluminum pivot doors are trending worldwide, and these projects exemplify what these steel dreams look like.
Preferro
- The Netherlands | Designed by StudioLIV | Photographed by Tom Bremer
- Top pivot: TP-70
- Bottom pivot: System M+
"The material of the steel frame is bronze, and the glass is tinted bronze as well, making the door feel both warm and transparent."
Best Specialty Application 2023 Winner
The doors in the Specialty Application category aren't just doors; they are experiences. One common aspect is that these doors have the pivot point placed in the middle, making them effectively rotating walls. Whenever the door can not be categorized as a regular interior or exterior door, it often gets placed in the Specialty category.
Hayden Kidd & Dan McKerrow
- Australia | Designed by Nicholas H. Elias
- Top pivot: Top Pivot Reversed
- Bottom pivot: System 3
"The unique circular door, requiring precise 360-degree rotation, was a challenging feature that we, as the homeowners and foreman, crafted ourselves. This innovation, born from our dedication, blends seamlessly with the building's materials, creating an almost invisible effect with just a fine shadow line. The door's exterior and interior designs are meticulously aligned with the surrounding structure, ensuring a continuous timber flow.
Utilizing a central pivot system, the door operates without a handle, offering an interactive experience that feels integrated with the building's movement. It adds dynamism to the entrance, creating a cozy foyer when closed and a connected, airy space when partially open, enhancing the transition between public and private areas."
Widest Submitted Pivot Door
The widest submitted pivot door of 2023 by Montero Parapar Arquitectos is an impressive 3840 mm wide, 3750 mm tall, and 460 kg door. Not only is it impressive due to its size and weight, but also because of the setting, surrounding and function of the door.
Tallest Submitted Pivot Door
The tallest door submitted in 2023 shatters the previous record, coming in at 7 meters. This monumental copper-clad pivot door by Invogue Door Systems now holds the spot for the tallest door ever submitted. Over half a meter taller than the previous record holder by Laurenz Vogel Architekten, it raises the bar for future submissions.
Do you want to show your mastery of pivot doors to the industry and compete for one of the titles of FritsJurgens Best Pivot Door 2024? Submit your project now.
