Bollards Respond to Trends in Architecture and Landscape Design
June 3, 2011 - News from Reliance Foundry - UPDATE
Written by: Brad Done
Bollards haven’t changed much in the hundreds of years they have been used as posts to prevent vehicles from running off roadways. But the challenges of the current era have called for dramatic rethinking of bollard designs and the ways they are used.
The biggest change is an increased concern about protecting structures from security threats. Architects and designers are requiring bollards to be installed all around vulnerable properties to create a safe perimeter. In an effort to prevent intrusion, bollards are often reinforced to resist the force of a vehicle being deliberately rammed into a building.
The increased use of bollards around building perimeters has also made it more important to provide bollards that are removable to permit access by emergency or maintenance vehicles. When only occasional access is required removable bollards are significantly less costly than retractable bollards that raise and lower by mechanical or hydraulic means.
Reliance Foundry has recently introduced a series of bollards designed especially for removable installations. The ‘Series 7900’ and ‘Series 8900’ removable bollards can be installed into sleeves or receivers set into a concrete foundation. Receivers come in two configurations;
- Removable bollard mounting receivers with chained locks to secure the bollard post, or
- Removable bollard mounting receivers with a hinged lid that covers the receiver when the bollard is removed; with this model, the lid lies flush with the adjacent pavement to avoid a trip-fall hazard
The above two receivers are also available in stainless steel amoung Reliance Foundry’s other bollard accessories.
These new removable bollards’ contemporary stylings allow them to compliment many architectural styles. These new designs also make Reliance Foundry's removable bollards responsive to another architectural trend – the need for flexible spaces. Designers can pre-install sleeves throughout a plaza or other paved area. Then the property owner can install bollards wherever needed on a temporary basis. For example, the bollards can be used one day to outline a festival place, and the next day to create a parking lot, queuing lanes, or varied levels of security. The posts can also be linked with chains to direct pedestrian traffic.
Reliance Foundry responds to demands for sustainable construction by using recyclable materials, and high-quality, corrosion-resistant powder-coated finishes on its steel bollards to reduce the need for maintenance. Baked-on powder-coatings reduce the release of volatile organic compounds (VOC) into the atmosphere. Removable bollards are available in hammered-textured finishes using a full spectrum of colors; stainless steel removable bollards are available for optimal service conditions.
(Originally released Dec 14, 2009)
About Reliance Foundry Co. Ltd.
Reliance Foundry has been a family-owned business since 1927.
Bollards are one of its main product lines, along with industrial wheels, bike parking products and investment castings. Reliance sources products globally and offers quick and convenient delivery in the United States and Canada from its Vancouver location.
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