When thinking about the target audience for access control providers, one traditionally thinks of building operators, site owners or administrators, and residential or industrial end users. There is often a group that is overlooked, and this is the people who design the building: the architects. Architects may not have the deciding vote when it comes to choosing locking solutions for the buildings they’re designing. However, for those operators who lack knowledge or experience when it comes to choosing access control, they often consult with the architect designing the building; using design to create a new era of flexible, sustainable and comfortable shared living spaces.

To explore the intricacies of what access control and locking technology mean to architects, SALTO Systems reached out to Björg Halldórsdóttir, an Icelandic architect working for Nordic architecture and design studio PK Arkitektar, based in Reykjavík, Iceland.

We asked Björg what smart locking systems mean to her as an architect and the ways in which these access control solutions fit into the vision and process of her work. The result was a glimpse into the intersection of design and functionality, which allowed us to investigate two ways in which architecture can be utilised for access control: to enhance personal and collective well-being and to drive sustainability and health. This article will explore these two subjects using Björg’s perspective to understand how design and architecture can enable cloud-based access control to strengthen sustainable community environments in coliving.

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SMART ACCESS CONTROL ACCORDING TO ARCHITECT BJÖRG HALLDÓRSDÓTTIR

What is the importance of smart locking solutions to you as an architect, and what do you look for in regards to access control?

Björg Halldórsdóttir: As an architect, the first thing you look for in a smart lock solution is a product that is aesthetically pleasing. It may not be ideal, but it is the truth. Secondly, the access control system has to fit the client’s needs. Most clients nowadays prefer smart, electronic locks, depending on the level of security needed for the building and the different uses of certain spaces.

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Do you think that it is important for architects to think about access control when they are designing a space, or is it something that is solely the responsibility of the building manager?

Björg Halldórsdóttir: I do think it’s important to discuss access control at the initial design stage. It has been proven many times that the most successful building projects are the ones where the whole team works as one. Design managers and architects come from the opposite end of the spectrum and can, therefore, point out different aspects of a design element to one another, resulting in the most suitable choice for the client and the building users.

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At what stage during the design process do architects need to think about access control?

Björg Halldórsdóttir: At the initial design stage, it is important to get an idea of how the flow of people will be through the spaces. Learning about the client’s wishes regarding access control plays a vital part in that process. This also affects the fire safety design of the building, which means that it cannot be an afterthought.

At the later stages of the design process, when choosing materials, building elements and equipment, there needs to be a discussion with the whole design team and the client to make sure that their wishes are being met and the chosen product fits the overall interior design and functionality of the spaces. Furthermore, it needs to be established that the product can be delivered within the given time frame.

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How important is it to be able to customise the look and finish of the lock, such as with SALTO Systems’ MyLock configurator*?

*MyLock by SALTO is where the software and hardware align, allowing you to customise your electronic door lock. This online configurator enables you to create your customised door lock and personalise all the options. You can select a model, door type and customise your electronic lock with a broad range of colours, finishes, handles and functions. This is a game-changer for architects and brings design to the forefront of security services.

Björg Halldórsdóttir: As I previously mentioned, the look of the locks is everything to an architect. It is extremely satisfying for an architect to be able to customise the finish of a product that affects the everyday usage of a building so much. The ability to create a holistic design is always the end goal, and SALTO Systems’ MyLock plays a huge part in achieving that goal.

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Finally, are there any features you would like to see in locking technology in the future?

Björg Halldórsdóttir: Customised locking technology for main doors to buildings is something I’d love to see in the future. Although being able to choose the colour and finish, as with SALTO’s MyLock, is a great start, I’d like architects to be able to fully design custom-made handles themselves.

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HOW ARCHITECTURE CAN UTILISE ACCESS CONTROL TO ENHANCE PERSONAL AND COLLECTIVE WELLBEING

As mentioned by Björg above, nowadays most clients prefer smart, electronic locks depending on the security level requirements of the building and the use of its spaces. This statement holds true as there is indeed a general preference and inclination for technology to be incorporated into a building’s management system. The reason for this is that residents can now be connected with the building, creating an elevated experience and presence of community.

Architecture plays a significant role in the process of combining the physical realm with the digital. This is because architects are able to connect the dots between vision and reality, ensuring that spaces are used to their full potential. These spaces are designed to initiate and sustain human interaction and build both personal and collective well-being. Access control and its management can play a vital role in both these aspects, connecting residents with their coliving homes before they even move in and throughout each stage of their stay. This is because the right smart locking solutions provide residents with a consistent and reliable coliving journey.

Björg states that during the initial design stage, it is important to get an idea of “how the flow of people will be through the spaces.” Understanding the flow of people through a space can help determine who will have access and to what extent, allowing you to invest in the right technologies to manage the flow of visitors and regulate access securely. In the same way, this process can allow you to foresee the merging of residents in common areas where they may not only gather and interact but meaningfully engage with each other in their shared premises.

Even in shared living spaces, however, residents value their own space and quarters. Designing spaces while paying attention to personal well-being and private space can go a long way and give residents the ability to seamlessly manage access to their own space (including control of guest access), which can build the bridge between personal and collective well-being.

An architect may also help determine the right Property Management System (PMS), facility or community management app or tool to use for this purpose as they can predict the limitations and technological shortcomings of certain hardware and locking technology. Smart access control solutions such as SALTO KS can deliver the technology required to manage and maintain coliving spaces and the platform MyLock by SALTO allows the customisation of locks to make this vision a reality. Nevertheless, as Björg sees the benefits of MyLock in being able to choose the colour and finish of a lock which aids the design process, she expresses her desire for customisable locking technology to be made available for the main building entrances.

Similarly, Björg would also like to see architects have the ability to fully design custom-made handles themselves. This scenario would factor in the human-centric approach to supporting coliving and the customer journey. Imagine a coliving space that caters to digital nomads. This space could potentially have a custom-made main entry point designed to incorporate technology where residents can receive digital keys anytime and anywhere, ensuring a smooth and organised onboarding process.

If the coliving space were one that caters to students or young professionals, it would be important to ensure that the main door is designed to incorporate flexible access wherein residents can come and go when they desire, while still being assured of their security. In these ways, access control can factor in residents’ needs for well-being, creating open and inviting spaces that simultaneously guarantee safety.

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HOW ARCHITECTURE CAN UTILISE ACCESS CONTROL TO DRIVE SUSTAINABILITY AND HEALTH

Architecture can implement sustainability models from the point of conception and in the early design stages before development takes place, ensuring longevity for sustainable practices. As Björg advises, the initial design stage is where we can be informed of the flow of people through a space. Access control can play a role in spatial design and monitoring of occupant capacity: sensors, cameras and smart locks are all examples of hardware that can accompany the technology in order to monitor the flow of people through spaces and contribute towards sustainability and health. Architects can play an active role in this by incorporating the following in a coliving space:

1. Touchless door opening: Cloud-based access control replaces the hassle of physical keys and the need for front desks with flexible and secure entry options to open locks via digital keys on smartphones (iOS or Android) and remote opening. These ways of opening doors ensure that residents do not need to touch doors and limit the potential for cross-contamination within a shared living environment.
2. Contact tracing: Smart lock systems that support technology integrations with connected devices, sensors and cloud-networked applications can implement contact tracing which limits the spread of infectious diseases and promotes safety. Surveillance cameras and recorded insights into events permit system administrators to monitor the number of people per square meter in space, control the flow of people and restrict access when the limit is reached.
3. Antimicrobial coated technology: SALTO locks reduce a broad spectrum of microbes by up to 99.9% through BioCote® antimicrobial coated technology. Combining this technology with standard hygienic practices significantly reduces the risk of contamination.
4. Product and technology: SALTO Systems upholds eco-design criteria to incorporate renewable materials, making sure its products last as long as possible. Product packaging is designed and engineered with ‘minimised environmental impact’ and is fully FSC certified.
5. Operations and energy: The sourcing of raw materials is carefully curated to reduce our carbon footprint. SALTO manufacturing facilities are powered with 100% clean and renewable energy.

Sustainability can be integrated into a coliving space to the extent that it is woven into the experience and brand of the coliving space. Architects like Björg who consult closely with their clients can make this a reality when they learn about their client’s wishes regarding access control which she says “plays a vital part in that process.” They can use this knowledge to invest in an access control company that produces and designs its product portfolio in an ethical and sustainable way, providing a steady path towards a green coliving space.

Similarly, coliving brands can promote personal and collective well-being through conscious designs that open up spaces to create welcoming environments which simultaneously pay attention to individual needs. Access control technology can act as the bridge between the two and has the power to transform shared living communities, creating seamless and secure smart living experiences for residents and operators alike.