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Aesthetically Secure
Security console had to match the historic look of a Pittsburgh schoolThe Latest from SIW
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By ST&D Staff
What do you get when you undertake a security upgrade that's part of the renovation of a historic structure? In the case of Arsenal Middle School , it becomes as much an interior design project as a security upgrade.
In 1999, the Pittsburgh Historic Review Commission (HRC) designated Arsenal Middle School a historic structure. During the Civil War, the building served as the southernmost munitions manufacturing facility for the North.
Although the HRC has no jurisdiction over changes made to interiors of historic structures, the architects felt in this case it was important to carry the same historical look and intent of the exterior into the lobby.
A major aspect of the security upgrade was the addition of a security console in the school lobby. The console would serve as a remote monitoring station for the school's access control system, including CCTV and alarms. Because of its size and function, the console also became a major design element of the lobby renovation.
“It's a beautiful school,” says the project's interior designer Jennifer Puglianl McDowell, of architectural firm Quad 3 Group. “It has terrazzo and marble on the walls.”
From the start, McDowell had an idea of what was needed to make the console fit with the unique architectural aspects of the lobby. Initially, she worked with Winsted Corp., a manufacturer of technical furniture for applications such as security consoles. But the modular furniture offered in the company's catalog just didn't fit the look of the lobby.
Winsted understood the unique design requirements of the project and suggested McDowell work with its custom design division, Winsted Technical Interiors, which specializes in the design, development, fabrication and installation of custom workstation consoles for complex technical environments.
