Revolving doors have been around for well over 100 years since their invention by Theophilus Van Kannel in 1888. As the story goes, Van Kannel, working in a lobby during a cold winter in Philadelphia, complained about the unpleasant effects of the swing door at the main entrance: “Every person passing through [the exterior door] first brings a chilling gust of wind with its snow or rain, and the noise of the street; then comes the unwelcome bang!”
Van Kannel decided to do something about it, he started a business, and the rest is history. The new type of doors stopped air infiltration and were quiet during use. But, how much can you really improve on what is a relatively simple concept? In fact, modern technology and engineering have completely transformed Van Kannel’s invention in terms of safety, ease of use, and even security. Let’s take a closer look.
