Architectural Bollards can serve several purposes. Two of the most common are for accessibility as well as aesthetics. One recent job in New York City required stainless steel bollards to serve both of these functions which was a perfect fit for laser-fused stainless tubing.
Profiles: 5 x 5 x 1/4 Square Tubing
Material: 304/L Stainless Steel
Execution: Laser Fused
Industry: Architectural
Location: New York, New York, USA
Fabricator: Custom Manufacturing & Polishing – Springfield, Missouri
What is a Bollard?
The term bollard refers to a short, vertical post used for protection or to deflect traffic from an area or in maritime, used to secure a ship’s mooring lines. These fixed pillars have been around since the days of the Roman Empire thousands of years ago. While still used for maritime applications, the current and most popular use of bollards are as protective barriers for traffic or safety applications.
With safety and security at the forefront of all commercial developments, one can see why similar elements must require additional consideration. Protective bollards are used by private and public buildings and spaces to prevent automobile strikes. Not only do they protect people, but also utilities, electronics, machinery, and other mission-critical infrastructure. In many of today’s construction projects, bollards are essential to the integral part of the building’s security design.
Stainless Steel Architectural Bollards
With more and more designs requiring bollards, architects must focus on the different functions and applications they provide. The bollards are going to be exposed and will become part of the overall architectural display so there must be attention given to the details. Because they will be visible to all guests entering a building, architects will want bollards that are aesthetically appealing and that will also meet AESS guidelines. Laser fused, stainless steel tubing will meet these prerequisites and allow planners to customize the design of the bollards to match that of the entry way or façade of the building.
For this particular project in New York City, the design called for bollards for both an exterior and interior use. They were designed to be handicap accessible with digital displays and buttons to be used for entry and exit, crosswalks and for fire or emergency. To produce these non-standard components, Custom Manufacturing & Polishing used laser fused, 304/L stainless steel tubes that were 5”x5”x1/4” in size. They then brought the tubing in-house to prepare for final finishing and fabrication. From a geometric standpoint, these bollards are unique in that they are square instead of round. This characteristic reveals a more modern and contemporary appearance and as you can see from the photo, are very charming and elegant.
Stainless Steel for Your Next Project
Laser fused square and rectangle tubing is just one of the many custom shapes and sizes available from Stainless Structurals America. Our vast array of structural shapes are used in various construction and architectural applications, including bollards. All of our sharp-cornered profiles are available in stainless and even carbon steel when corrosion resistance is not demanding. Our team is ready to assist you in your next steel requirement so feel free to contact us today for more information on how our products can make your design a reality.
