Clinton Presidential Center & Library

The William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Center and Library calls to mind President Clinton’s campaign slogan “building a bridge to the 21st century.” The Library reaches up and out over the Arkansas River - providing dramatic views of the river, the city of Little Rock, and the chain of city parks that extends to and throughout the Library grounds. In addition to safely and securely storing the Clinton presidential archives, a primary design goal was to create clear interior vistas as striking as the exterior views.

DORMAs contribution to the project
The building needed to be a light, inviting, and accessible venue for visitors, exhibitors, and researchers. To accomplish potentially conflicting goals—safeguard the Library’s contents and let in light at the same time - the architects used an innovative type of glass that eliminates ultraviolet light and dramatically reduces heat gain. The heat- and light stopping glass encases the exterior of the library, while see-through glass walls create a sense of easy access to the historic materials and exhibits on the inside.

For the many interior and exterior doorways throughout the Library, the architects needed hardware that was unobtrusive and would not obstruct the clear views. But the door hardware also needed to be strong enough to support large glass doors, as well as durable enough to withstand heavy use.

These requirements led the architects to specify a variety of DORMA products for the elegant door systems throughout the Library.