Originally built in 1989, Devon House is an exceptional riverside workspace that underwent a full refurbishment in Spring 2019, both internally and externally, and the upgrade included a brand new reception space. The new lobby is now an open social space, echoing the relaxed atmosphere of a coffee shop while taking in the expansive views of the riverside. It also serves as a co-working hub outfitted with several tables and chairs to be easily accessible to both employees and visitors.

The renowned architect working on the Devon House project, Stiff and Trevillion, specified a manual revolving door for the main entrance, but requested a special design: they chose to merge the characteristics of two doors – the Boon Edam TQM and the all-glass Crystal TQ. The door’s sidewalls and wings would be metal-framed with aluminium, but there would be no metal canopy: only an 18mm thick, slender and transparent all-glass ceiling, allowing light to flow in through the entrance unimpeded.

Designers for Devon House decided on optical turnstiles to control access in the lobby and deter tailgating attempts. They allowed building capacity to dictate the number of lanes that would be needed, using a calculation that considered both the total capacity and traffic changes during peak times of the day, such as the morning and evening rushes, and bi-directional traffic during lunchtime. In addition, wide lanes were placed on each side of the reception desk to accommodate disabled access. Once the quantity was decided, focus shifted to design. The Speedlane Swing optical turnstiles were chosen for their slim cabinet design and swinging barriers and customised with a black powder coated finish to match the lobby’s décor.