Powermatic concealed door closers have been used as part of the £220m refurbishment of The Savoy, London, one of the world’s most iconic hotels. ReardonSmith Architects led the design team for this prestigious project, developing and implementing interior design schemes created by Pierre-Yves Rochon, which heighten the sense of glamour and luxury for which The Savoy is famed across the globe.
An integral part of the project has been the refurbishment, and in some cases rebuilding of the hotel’s guest rooms, and it is here that the Powermatic door closer has been used to great effect.
The authentic art deco guest rooms have been faithfully restored, and others have been completely refurbished in a style highly sympathetic to the spirit of the original. Where total building was required, the guest room’s original fittings and features were removed, cleaned and reinstated.
Introducing modern convenience and satisfying the varied performance criteria that apply in today’s building industry, whilst retaining the appearance and atmosphere that embody the spirit of The Savoy, was paramount in all areas of the restoration. Guest rooms in particular demanded special attention to ensure that, where possible, the exquisite interiors, and ultimately the guest’s comfort, were not spoiled by the appearance of unnecessary mechanical devices.
The natural choice for door closing devices, therefore, would be concealed door closers. Having considered the options carefully, and having undertaken its own sound insulation tests on complete door assemblies, ReardonSmith specified Powermatic concealed door closers for all guest rooms, including the hotel’s Royal Suite.
In all, more than 400 Powermatic door closers, together with a variety of bell pushes and velvet stands from Samuel Heath‘s bathroom and hardware collections, were supplied to the project by architectural ironmonger Franchi plc.
“We needed a reliable door closer that met all the necessary performance standards for fire and accessibility, but one that also assured the integrity of the door for sound insulation and, of course, did not interfere with the high quality aesthetics of the hotel’s interiors,” says Franchi’s project manager, David Ward.
“Powermatic ticked all the boxes. It is CE marked, which underlines its performance credentials, and its small body meant that less of the door had to be mortised to accommodate the closer, contributing to the desired 30 decibel sound transmission requirement for the guest room doors.”
