STUDIO 804

“Krownlab products are beautifully engineered in their own right as opposed to just being a wheel or another piece of hardware, Every aspect of their line has been well thought through with a keen sense of design.”

-Dan Rockhill, Professor of Architecture at University of Kansas

ASSISTING TOMORROW’S LEADING ARCHITECTS

Studio 804 is a nonprofit composed of full-time graduate students entering their final year in the Masters of Architecture program at the University of Kansas. The group is known for completing a new project each school year and Krownlab is proud to have donated hardware to the last two efforts.

In 2013, Studio 804 designed and built the EcoHawks Engineering Research and Teaching Facility. The EcoHawks is a student research group whose aim is to find alternative energy sources for electric transportation. They needed a larger, more functional space to both conduct and showcase their research and project development.

The following year, 2014, Studio 804 designed and built The Forum for the School of Architecture. The Forum is an addition to Marvin Hall and gives the K.U. School of Architecture a lecture hall for the first time in their history.

Dan Rockhill, J.L. Constant Distinguished Professor of Architecture at the University of Kansas and principal of Architecture at Rockhill and Associates guided both projects. He was thrilled to work with Krownlab’s Oden hardware.

“Krownlab products are beautifully engineered in their own right as opposed to just being a wheel or another piece of hardware,” said Rockhill. “Every aspect of their line has been well thought through with a keen sense of design.”

HELPING ECOHAWKS PUT SUSTAINABILITY INTO ACTION

Studio 804 reached out to Krownlab for a donation of Oden sliding door hardware. It would be a perfect fit with the essence of both the EcoHawks building and the mentality of the organization.

“[We] maintain very high standards of quality, both in design and fabrication, and [we] believe [ Krownlab] hardware adheres to this mentality,” said Hannah Hindman, a Studio 804 team member. “A donation from Krownlab would allow us to create a very unique focal point in our project.”

Inspired by the ideals and philosophy of Studio 804, Krownlab was happy to help.

The EcoHawks Engineering Research and Teaching Facility was Studio 804’s sixth LEED Platinum project. It provided a state-of-the-art space for research, fabrication, and refurbishment of electric vehicles. The space is also comprised of designated computer workstations and areas for prototype testing. Studio 804 used Oden sliding door hardware for all the openings in the research facility. The hardware stretches dramatically across the expanse of the entire first floor interior wall. Oden hardware also supports two frosted glass panels within the facility, allowing them to glide back and forth quietly and smoothly.

“Using a product that captures the spirit of what we are trying to do is not always easy,” said Rockhill. “What distinguished Krownlab was [that] the product used echoed the concept of the building.”

HELPING ECOHAWKS PUT SUSTAINABILITY INTO ACTION

“WE HAVE HAD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE USING KROWNLAB AND WERE QUITE PLEASED. DURING THE DESIGN PROCESS OTHER OPTIONS WERE CONSIDERED BUT EVENTUALLY THE QUALITY, BOTH MANUFACTURED AND AESTHETIC, OF KROWNLAB WAS CHOSEN.”

-Ken Grothman, Studio 804 team member

BUILDING A SPACE FOR THE BUILDERS

Satisfied with the outcome of the EcoHawks Facility, Studio 804 went back to Krownlab for their project building The Forum at Marvin Hall.

“We have had previous experience using Krownlab and were quite pleased,” said 804 team member, Ken Grothman. “During the design process other options were considered but eventually the quality, both manufactured and aesthetic, of Krownlab was chosen.”

The Forum at Marvin Hall is a contemporary lecture space focused on sustainability and innovation. It’s the third LEED building Studio 804 has built and its most complex and largest to date. Krownlab’s Oden hardware is used in the Jury Room, also known as the Commons Room, with two large steel doors that serve as a divider. The doors screen the storage room and serve as a pinup board for students to showcase their work.

“Krownlab was the best option,” said Rockhill. “These particular doors are very heavy. Krownlab has a product line that could support the doors but still looks elegant in design and detail.”

All Krownlab hardware has been rigorously tested to ensure it will continue to function beautifully well past the 10-year warranty. The Forum is a heavily used space and longevity was a major consideration when Studio 804 chose Oden hardware.

“The doors are used frequently as the layout of the Jury Room is in a constant state of transformation,” said Grothman. “The durability of the Krownlab system will ensure that even after years of daily use the doors will continue to operate smoothly.”