Defining the new normal with cutting-edge architectural hardware

Smart technology has surpassed what used to be the norm, creating the seemingly impossible – from shutting a one-tonne door with one finger to remotely operating the outdoor shutters from anywhere in the world. We had a chat to those at the forefront of technology, Häfele.

Häfele has been leading innovation in architectural hardware for decades, developing systems for the smart operation of everything from doors and kitchen cabinetry, to LED lights and access systems. In the process, they have changed our expectations of what’s possible, flipping traditional concepts – such as using a physical key to open a door or requiring more than the strength of a single person to open a one-tonne door – on
their head.

“Hafele is at the forefront of this type of technology. One of our core focuses as a company is developing ideas that re-imagine function,” Hafele’s Raz Iugan says. “Our expertise lies in bringing innovation to the everyday – from intuitive soft-close door technology to complex access
control systems. “

Hafele works closely with architects to develop in-depth customised access control systems for all types of projects - from residential homes to large hotels and workplaces. “Our Dialock system can be used to define which areas of the building a person can enter. This is particularly useful in settings such as hotels where guests may only require access to a certain floor or communal parts of a building or offices, where different people might have specific levels of access.”

The same technology is now being used by retailers, specifically those with high-value goods such as jewellery stores where cabinetry requires a higher level of security and alerts.

Hafele is the ideal partner in specifying and supplying hardware solutions for any project, from hotel and apartments to residential and commercial. Hafele's range includes over 150 000 products and solutions including architectural door hardware, sliding and folding door hardware, access control, kitchen and furniture fittings. As well as the manufacturing and distribution side of the business, Hafele provides various free services to architects, the most popular of which is the Door Hardware Scheduling Service. 

“This service allows us to receive a set of plans from an architect and using our ProMaster software we then specify every piece of hardware required for every door in a building - from the lever handle to the lock or the doorstop,” Raz says. “We provide this service free to the architectural community to ensure the right products can be easily integrated into every project.”

Hafele’s other free service for the architectural community, the Product Selection Service, goes hand in hand with the scheduling service - providing another level of detailed specifications that ensure a project meets or exceeds all relevant fire regulations and Building Code requirements.”

Both services also cover another area of specialty for Häfele -  sliding door technology. “Our technology covers all hardware and systems for sliding doors from the smallest cabinetry door right through to the huge sliding and stacking walls and doors that divide large rooms in commercial spaces, and is suitable for every type of sliding door from timber to glass or aluminium.”

“Sliding and stacking doors of every size can now also be used as soundproof barriers, shutting with intricate precision and rendering a space soundproof. Larger sliding and stacking walls can have mechanical or automated seals to divide meeting rooms and conference centres ensuring at the same time the soundproof requirement is respected.

“The technology we develop is the very latest in the field and a core area of our continued development with new solutions coming out every day,” Raz says. “Our technology is focused on creating spaces that perfectly combine style with function; it’s about creating spaces that have a positive impact on the way we live.”

Häfele New Zealand is a subsidiary of the global German brand Häfele and offers technological solutions across door hardware, kitchen and furniture fittings and electronic locking systems. With a history dating back to 1923, Häfele is known around the globe as a leader in hardware and smart technology.

Make sure you visit Häfele on ArchiPro here to view their latest product offerings and in situ solutions in some of the country’s top architectural projects.