Phone
(903) 583-7500
Project Overview
Stanford University’s McMurtry Building houses the Department of Art and Art History, with classrooms, studios, screening rooms, a library, student spaces, and other facilities supporting the university’s arts programs. Designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the building includes a landscaped courtyard that serves as an important extension of its interior spaces.
The design called for a large glazed opening that could physically connect the building with the courtyard rather than limiting that relationship to views through a conventional façade. Renlita’s Fold vertical opening system, formerly the S-3000 Foldaway, was incorporated into the building to allow a substantial section of the façade to open vertically and create a direct connection between the interior and exterior.
The Challenge
Creating a large operable opening in the McMurtry Building required more than simply providing access to the courtyard. The system needed to move a substantial glazed section of the façade while minimizing its impact on the interior space and maintaining the architectural relationship between the building and landscape.
A conventional overhead door can provide a large opening, but its horizontal tracks and supporting hardware typically extend into the space behind the opening. Hydraulic doors provide another approach for moving large façade panels, but introduce hydraulic equipment, additional maintenance considerations, and operational noise.
For the McMurtry Building, the opening therefore needed to preserve usable interior space, provide a large connection to the courtyard, and integrate with the contemporary architecture of a building dedicated to art and design.
The Solution
Renlita engineered a custom Fold vertical opening system, formerly the S-3000 Foldaway, to create the operable connection between the McMurtry Building and its landscaped courtyard. The system uses a true bifold vertical lifting truss design in which the glazed panels fold as the opening rises, concentrating the door at the building envelope rather than extending horizontal tracks into the interior.
A counterweight system balances the large Fold assembly, while a compact 120-volt motor provides powered operation without a hydraulic system. This combination reduces the amount of operating equipment required for the large opening while avoiding hydraulic pumps and fluid.
Large glazed panels maintain natural light and views of the courtyard when the Fold is closed. When raised, the system removes that physical separation and creates direct movement between the interior and courtyard, allowing the architecture itself to adapt to different uses of the building and surrounding outdoor space.
Key Benefits
Large Indoor-Outdoor Connection
The Fold system allows a substantial section of the McMurtry Building’s glazed façade to open directly to the landscaped courtyard. When raised, the bifold panels clear the opening to create physical circulation between the interior and exterior rather than limiting the courtyard connection to views through fixed glazing.
Space-Efficient Vertical Operation
The Fold uses vertically lifting bifold panels instead of conventional horizontal tracks extending into the room. Concentrating the moving assembly at the opening preserves more of the interior ceiling and floor area for the educational, exhibition, and gathering functions of the McMurtry Building.
Glazing and Architectural Integration
Large glazed panels allow the Fold system to remain part of the building’s transparent relationship with the courtyard when closed, maintaining daylight and exterior views through the opening. When the system is raised, the same portion of the façade becomes an open connection to the landscape, supporting Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s integration of interior and exterior space.