Phone
(903) 583-7500
Project Overview
Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey Foundation Armstrong Great Hall serves as a major gathering and event space on the Downtown Phoenix campus, hosting graduations, lectures, assemblies, performances, and other university events. The project called for a monumental operable opening between the interior auditorium and adjacent outdoor plaza so the two spaces could function independently or as a larger connected event environment.
Renlita engineered a custom Fold vertical opening system (formerly the S-3000 Foldaway) for the opening, allowing the Great Hall to transition between enclosed and indoor-outdoor configurations without conventional door tracks extending into the occupied event space.
The Challenge
The Armstrong Great Hall required a monumental operable opening between the auditorium and adjacent plaza while preserving usable event space and the architectural character of the building. A conventional overhead opening system would have required operating hardware across or adjacent to a space designed to remain visually open.
Because the opening forms part of the building envelope in Phoenix, the system also needed glazing, seals, and operating components appropriate for an exterior application exposed to Arizona’s climate. The engineering challenge was therefore not simply creating a large opening, but creating one that could open efficiently while still functioning as part of the enclosed building when closed.
The Solution
Renlita addressed the Armstrong Great Hall opening with a custom Fold vertical opening system (formerly the S-3000 Foldaway) that uses a nested truss and counterweight design to move the large glazed assembly vertically and store it compactly above the opening. This configuration creates a large clear connection between the auditorium and plaza without conventional overhead tracks extending into the occupied event space.
The system incorporates covered panel trusses, custom Low-E glazing, retainer-captive weather seals, screw-captive glass retainers, and inertia safety brakes. The Low-E glazing and perimeter sealing help the closed system function as part of the exterior building envelope, while the captive glass retainers and safety brakes address the structural and operational requirements of moving a large glazed assembly.
When raised, the Fold system nests the truss and counterweight components to reduce the amount of opening area occupied by the stored door. This allows Armstrong Great Hall to create a broad connection with the adjacent plaza for large university events while retaining the ability to enclose the auditorium when the opening is closed.
Key Benefits
Space-Efficient Vertical Operation
The Renlita Fold uses a nested truss and counterweight configuration to store the raised door compactly above the opening rather than requiring conventional tracks extending into the Great Hall. This configuration preserves usable event space while creating a large, unobstructed connection between the auditorium and adjacent plaza when the system is open.
Custom Architectural Integration
Covered panel trusses give the Fold system’s structural components a clean, finished appearance within Armstrong Great Hall. The custom system was engineered around the architecture and scale of the opening rather than requiring the auditorium to accommodate a standard door configuration, allowing the large operable assembly to integrate with the building’s design.
Building-Envelope Performance
Custom Low-E glazing and retainer-captive weather seals help the closed Fold system function as part of the Great Hall’s exterior building envelope. The Low-E glazing helps limit heat transfer through the large glazed opening, while the perimeter seals reduce uncontrolled air movement around the door assembly. These features are particularly relevant for a large operable exterior opening exposed to Phoenix’s hot climate.