Bothwell Exchange, a new construction commercial space in Glasgow, Scotland, has installed an array of Boon Edam’s Speedlane Slide optical turnstiles in the lobby and two TQA automatic revolving doors at the main entrance to control access.
Bothwell Exchange is a 9-storey, 155,000 sq. ft. commercial building located at 122 Waterloo Street in Glasgow, Scotland’s International Financial Services District (IFSD). The location houses various international banking giants, as well as a gym, a kitchen and other amenities for employees. Architectural firm Michael Laird Associates led the design of the project, to create modern design with an open, column-free look and feel.
When the project was completed, Bothwell Exchange was named the first development in Scotland to achieve the Platinum Wiredscore Certification, demonstrating that the building goes above and beyond to meet its tenants’ connectivity needs. Bothwell Exchange was also awarded a BREEAM Excellent Rating, a performance standard which measures a building’s sustainable value in a series of categories, ranging from energy to ecology.
The architects wanted to incorporate an automatic revolving door into the entrance of the building. Revolving doors are “always open, always closed,” meaning that no matter the position of the door, there is always a seal between the outside environment and the interior building. This helps save on energy costs and lobby space, without slowing down traffic. In consideration of these benefits, it was decided that the Bothwell Exchange entrance would consist of two automatic, 4-wing TQA revolving doors finished in 316 stainless steel. Additionally, for added security after hours, each door was outfitted with an external night sliding door set that completely seals the throat opening and can be locked to deter intruders.
During the construction phase of building design, the architects communicated a need to incorporate security measures into the open lobby without impairing the flow of traffic in and out of the building. After a discussion around the estimated traffic needs of the building, the team decided to install a four-lane array of Speedlane Slide optical turnstiles to control unauthorised entry while still allowing 20-30 people per lane to enter each minute. To handle multiple types of traffic, the turnstile array was comprised of three standard-width lanes and one ADA-width lane. The wide lane would accommodate both employee traffic and the occasional wheelchair or delivery.
