System M Pivot Hinge by FritsJurgens

Headquartered in the Netherlands, the FritsJurgens company has developed the nicest, cleanest hinges for pivot doors. We think they’re basically one of a kind for high-end residential applications. Their System M pivot hinge offers many benefits.

“System M pivot hinge adds a totally new dimension to the FritsJurgens pivot door range by creating an unsurpassed experience: total control over the flow and movement of the door. The opening is as light as a feather, the movement extremely elegant, and the closing as soft as a whisper.
All this thanks to our brilliantly engineered, patented dampeners that operate in seamless co-ordination.

Self-closing from -125˚ to + 125˚

• Hold positions at 0˚, 90˚and -90˚

• Adjustable closing damping (soft close)

• Hydraulic backcheck (wall protection)

• Can be combined with door frames

• Patented system”

  From the FritsJurgens website

Photo Credit: fritsjurgens.com

At the SWING workshop: Aaron setting the System M hinge in the frame

What makes pivot doors special?

The creative possibilities are endless.

You may have seen in architectural magazines, on Instagram or on finer homes around town a new type of door that’s slightly larger, heavier looking and has a unique swing pattern. That’s because over the last five years or so architects and designers are turning to pivot doors more and more in their designs. Given their modern, sophisticated and effortless look, front doors can now act as pieces of architecture in and of themselves.

But what makes a pivot door different? … It’s in the technology.

Pivot doors don’t rely on traditional butt hinges attached to the door frame. The door pivots or swings on a single axis within the door, which distributes the door’s weight more evenly. Traditional hinge doors can typically be no larger than about 42”; but with the pivot door’s interior spindle and pivot box, doors can be wider, taller, heavier and more ornate. Woods, metals, glass, stone and large-scale hardware can adorn the door without fear of warping. 

But perhaps its greatest appeal is the pivot door’s ability to open up the outdoors to the home’s interior. With bigger doors comes bigger openings, which can seamlessly blend the inside with the outside—a lifestyle touch that defines the contemporary home.

Each pivot door incorporates different materials and places the spindle at slightly different locations within the door giving the opening a unique effect. We’ve seen pivot doors in all kinds of applications, both exterior and interior, commercial and residential, but we’ve noticed with our clients that the entryway pivot door has the biggest design impact.