University of Leeds - Laidlaw Library

dormakaba was involved in the University of Leeds’ project to add a striking new building to the main university. The new Laidlaw Library was designed to support undergraduate learning with 1,000 extra seats, new facilities for group work, bookable space, and a conveniently located café.

Flanked by two grade II listed stone churches and in close proximity to the grade I listed Parkinson Building, Laidlaw Library makes use of contemporary materials to respond to the historic context. The library has also been designed to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to ensure access to students with increasingly flexible and busy schedules. 

To ensure it was lightweight and easy to use by students, the manually pushed door incorporates power assistance for the rotary motion. The KTV-S also incorporates an automatic re-position feature to ensure that when the door is not in use, it returns to the “X” position to maximise the interior environmental control, which means it will create a “closed” barrier against noise pollution and adverse weather conditions, preventing disruption to occupants inside.   

Undergraduates using the Laidlaw Library are now able to enter and exit the facilities with ease, whilst students already within the building remain unaffected by constant traffic and draughts interrupting their studies. In addition, the bronze finish supplied by dormakaba allows the contemporary security solution to blend harmoniously with its historic placement.

Featured products in this project