Practical exposure for interior design students

Recently, the Department of Interior Design at Apeejay Institute of Design organised an industrial visit to Dormakaba, Okhla Phase III, New Delhi. The visit was planned to give students practical exposure to furniture hardware systems and help them connect theory with real site practices.

Dormakaba is a global manufacturer of door hardware, access control systems, and architectural fittings used across residential, commercial, hospitality, and institutional projects. For interior design students, understanding these systems is essential for safe and functional design.

The visit aimed to help students understand various types of door closers, floor springs, hinges, and locking systems. They also studied technical specifications and material standards of hardware. Students observed the application of hardware in glass doors, fire-rated doors, and automatic sliding systems.

The session began with a detailed presentation by the company’s technical team. Students were introduced to mechanical and hydraulic door closers, concealed and pivot hinges, floor springs, patch fittings, panic bars, emergency exit devices, access control systems, and automatic door solutions.

Live demonstrations explained installation methods, working mechanisms, load-bearing capacities, and safety compliance standards. Students saw how hardware is installed in glass doors and fire-rated doors, and how automatic sliding systems function. The interaction made technical detailing clearer and showed how working drawings translate into execution on site.

An interactive question-and-answer session allowed students to discuss specifications, cost considerations, and practical site challenges with industry experts.

Learning outcomes

The visit enabled students to identify different types of hinges and fittings based on usage and function. They understood the importance of fire safety norms and emergency hardware in interior projects. They gained knowledge about the technical detailing required in working drawings. Most importantly, they developed confidence in specifying hardware in their future interior design projects.

Chitrang Rajput, GDP IV Semester, Interior Design, said, “I found the visit to be informative and useful for my learning. Seeing the different types of door closers, hinges, and floor springs in a real demonstration helped me understand how they actually work on site. I especially liked learning about fire-rated doors and safety hardware because it made me realise how important technical details are in interior design. This visit improved my practical knowledge and gave me more confidence in selecting the right hardware for future projects.”

Kajal Dosadh, EDD II Semester, Interior Design, shared, “I really enjoyed the visit. It was very helpful to see how door closers, hinges, and other fittings actually work. I understood many things more clearly after watching the live demonstration. I also learned how important safety and proper hardware selection are in interior design. This visit made my concepts stronger and gave me a better practical understanding.”

 The industrial visit strengthened technical awareness and provided meaningful industry exposure for aspiring interior designers.