A 24-Foot Aluminum Bi-Fold Opening for Wendover Art Studio in Dallas
PROJECT SCOPE
Type: Commercial - Art Studio
Location: 327 Cole St, Dallas, TX 75207
Age of Structure: Renovation
Window System: Bi-Fold Door System
Installer: Lighting Brokers
Large-format fenestration can completely change the way a space functions. At Wendover Art Studio in Dallas, Texas, Vetrina Windows manufactured a custom eight-panel aluminum bi-fold door system designed to transform nearly an entire exterior wall into an operable opening.
Installed by Lighting Brokers, the system combines the scale of commercial fenestration with the clean appearance and flexibility required for a contemporary creative space.
A Custom System Built for a Large Opening
The completed assembly spans 290" wide x 116-1/8" high, or approximately 24' wide and nearly 10' tall. Rather than treating an opening of this size as a fixed glass wall, the design uses eight full-height operable sashes.
Key specifications include:
8-sash aluminum bi-fold system
4-4 split configuration
290" W x 116-1/8" H fabrication size
291" W x 117-1/8" H rough opening
Outward-stacking operation
Four panels stack left and four stack right
Thermally broken 6063-T5 extruded aluminum frame and sash profiles
Concealed track
Matte black anodized aluminum, 15-micron finish
Black hardware
Designed for 1-1/8" overall glazing
The result is a substantial glazed wall when closed and a dramatically larger connection between the studio and adjoining outdoor area when open.
Why a 4-4 Outward-Stacking Configuration Works Here
For a wide opening like this one, panel configuration matters almost as much as the overall dimensions.
Vetrina designed the eight sashes as two groups of four. Viewed from the interior, one group folds and stacks outward to the left while the other folds and stacks outward to the right.
This keeps the system visually balanced when closed and distributes the folded panels between the two ends of the opening when open. More importantly for an art studio, the panels stack outside rather than occupying valuable interior floor space.
That is particularly useful in spaces where the area immediately inside the doors may need to remain available for artwork, furniture, equipment, circulation or events.
Instead of having a conventional door interrupting the opening, the bi-fold configuration allows the architecture itself to become flexible.
Vetrina’s Aluminum Bi-Fold Doors
Vetrina’s Commercial Aluminum Bi-Fold Door System is a custom-manufactured movable glass wall designed for large openings that need both a strong architectural presence and the flexibility to open almost completely. For Wendover Art Studio, Vetrina produced an 8-sash system measuring 290" wide x 116-1/8" high, configured in a 4-4 split with the panels stacking outward to each side.
The black anodized aluminum framing works especially well with the studio’s contemporary exterior, creating a clean, nearly 24' wide glazed wall when closed while preserving the ability to open the space dramatically when needed.
With thermally broken aluminum profiles, large glass panels, a concealed track, and project-specific engineering, the system is well suited for art studios, galleries, restaurants, hospitality spaces, clubhouses, amenity areas, and other projects that benefit from a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor environments.
Aluminum Is Well Suited to Openings at This Scale
An opening approaching 24' in width requires a fenestration system specifically designed around large operable assemblies.
The Wendover system uses thermally broken extruded aluminum frame and sash profiles. Aluminum provides the strength and dimensional stability required for tall glazed panels while allowing the framing to remain comparatively streamlined.
The matte black anodized finish also complements the architecture of the studio. Against the light masonry exterior, the dark framing creates a deliberate grid around the glass without visually overpowering the opening.
When the doors are closed, the system reads as a clean, floor-to-ceiling glazed wall. When opened, that grid folds toward the sides and the character of the space changes completely.
An Ideal Solution for Creative and Flexible Spaces
The application at Wendover Art Studio demonstrates one of the primary advantages of large-format bi-fold fenestration: a wall need not always remain a wall.
For an art studio, gallery, or event-oriented environment, a large operable glass wall can provide several benefits. It allows natural light and exterior views when closed, then creates a substantially more open environment when conditions or programming call for it.
The same concept can work particularly well for:
art studios and galleries, showrooms, restaurants, hospitality spaces, clubhouses, event venues, commercial amenity spaces, and high-end residential projects.
When architects want the visual effect of expansive glazing without permanently separating interior and exterior areas, a custom aluminum bi-fold system offers an effective solution.
Details Designed Around the Complete Assembly
Large bi-fold systems depend on much more than the visible aluminum profiles.
The Vetrina shop drawings coordinate the hinges, bottom rollers, top guides, glazing gaskets, sash seals, adjustable jambs, threshold and related hardware required for the eight-panel assembly to operate as a complete system.
The bottom roller and top guide arrangement directs the folding panels through their designed path, while dedicated seals and glazing components are integrated throughout the frame and sash construction.
These details become increasingly important as door assemblies get larger. A system of this scale has to be considered as a complete architectural product rather than simply a collection of individual doors.
Custom Fenestration for Unusual Openings
Projects like Wendover Art Studio are exactly where custom manufacturing becomes valuable.
Large openings rarely fit neatly into standard catalog dimensions. Panel quantities, stacking direction, frame conditions, finishes, glazing requirements and surrounding construction all have to work together.
Vetrina Windows works with architects, contractors, developers and glazing professionals to develop and manufacture aluminum fenestration around the requirements of the individual project. That includes oversized bi-fold doors like the Wendover installation as well as sliding doors, swing doors, windows, storefronts and curtain wall systems.
For projects requiring a similar large-scale opening, Vetrina can manufacture a system specifically around the architectural dimensions and intended operation rather than forcing the design to accommodate a standard-sized product.
Planning a large bi-fold opening for a commercial, hospitality, multifamily or residential project?
Contact Vetrina Windows to discuss the opening size, configuration and performance requirements, and our team can help develop a system specifically for the application.