25 June 2012
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Maseeh Hall now includes custom bike shelter with a SolarOne Solutions’ lighting system, among other renovations merging today’s technology and trends with the hall’s 112-year-old architecture.
Designed by the architectural firm of Miller Dyer Spears in Boston, Massachusetts (US), the unique bike shelter was engineered and fabricated by Duo-Gard Industries in Canton, Michigan (US). It incorporates card-key entry, a custom solar lighting system with motion detectors, metal mesh walls and a shatterproof polycarbonate roof.
The high-power LEDs in SolarOne’s SO-Bright technology are expected to last more than 15 years, reducing future maintenance costs, according to SolarOne. The motion sensors dim to half-strength when no one is present and fully illuminate only the occupied area when a student enters.
The 23-feet-wide by 71-feet-long shelter accommodates 92 bikes. A sloping, gently curving asymmetrical roof is formed with a 20mm translucent multiwall polycarbonate batten system in an opal tint; it provides durability while allowing diffused daylight to enter the shelter. The architect chose stainless steel woven mesh for the walls, citing its contribution to durability and security.
