We woke to sounds of banging, drilling and sawing this morning and rushed downstairs to see what was going on.
“Building a wind tunnel,” said a man with a welding torch in his hand.
“No, no,” said another, “I told you it’s gonna be a wind lobby. It’s a special job to keep the wind out,” he explained to me with a wink. “The management says there’s enough wind inside.”
Whatever it is, it already looks impressive and will prove a stately Point of Entry to the retirement home. They have lobbies like this at embassies. The outside door opens and allows a visitor to enter. Once he steps inside the door closes and he is trapped there while the security people check him out. When they are satisfied they open the inner door and let him in.
In the retirement home scenario things may be slightly different. Most of the people who come here are bona fide visitors and would enter through the new lobby smoothly and easily. But it’s possible that the lobby could be used to prevent certain people from leaving. No one here is thinking like that, are they? Another question: What will happen on the weekends when the wind-lobby doors are set to automatic? Could I get stuck in there until Monday morning?
Hotels also use wind lobbies, but they employ a revolving door. I thought that may be a better alternative but on further thought that could be catastrophic at a retirement home. Image Janie, the 83 pound, meter and a half 95 year old lady from the 8th floor; why she would ride the revolving door all day, while some of the slower and heftier could well find themselves inside a food processor….
