Extendo/Panelite
Installer: Maman Corp
Photographer: Miller and Miller Architectural Photography
Space. It’s one of the most common reasons to renovate. Clients are looking for increased space, updated space or more functional space when they undertake an office makeover. Ecolab was no different. See below for how Klein helped develop a unique system to meet Ecolab's goals.
The Ecolab project came to us after partnering with Powers Brown Architecture for their office renovation. Ecolab is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services. Around the world businesses in foodservice, food processing, hospitality, healthcare, industrial, and oil and gas markets choose Ecolab products and services to keep their environment clean and safe, operate efficiently and achieve sustainability goals.
As Powers Brown Architecture and Maman Corp, the general contractor, began working on the remodel plans for the Naperville, Illinois company, it became apparent that a complete gut and remodel was required to meet their client’s needs. Achieving the clean, modern look they desired would require the use of architectural glass panels. They turned to Klein, and here’s how we helped.
Ecolab had an entire building to remake into optimized space, serving many different purposes. The main lobby, Customer Experience Center and Board Room would all have different space requirements. As well, the architects would be remodeling a variety of meeting spaces, a state-of-the-art training center and a 100-person auditorium.
In looking for a way to achieve the right look as well as handle the various unique space within their building, Maman recommended frameless, architectural sliding glass doors over traditional swing doors.
As Maman met with the architect, they learned of the architect’s vision for creating a wall system using Panelite, a textured, light-weight, light-transmitting series of resin panels. Maman immediately saw a challenge; to make the panels work, they needed a track system that could accommodate 3/4-inch thick panels. Maman wanted to install Klein’s Extendo track system, however Extendo is designed for a smaller panel width.
Klein, Maman, and Panelite developed a way to integrate the Panelite resin panels for this project into the Extendo system by engineering custom details on the top and bottom of each panel to accommodate the ½-inch standard glazing systems. By being innovative, we helped create a one-of-a-kind, frameless partition and door system.
The Klein Hardware created a frameless opening, giving Ecolab the look it wanted and all the necessary functionality. The honeycomb texture of the panels made the installation unique and aesthetically pleasing. The client loves the clean look of no bottom track and the ability to easily create privacy when the architectural glass doors are closed. And for times when more space is needed, they have the capacity to open up the sliding walls and create larger rooms.
Eliminating swing doors and installing architectural frameless glass walls proved to be an important key to this “clean and modern” renovation project’s success.