At Won-Door Corporation, doors are more than fire protection. They are silent guardians, ready to save lives in seconds. You feel it most at Sandy Hook Elementary and inside the Pentagon, two places where protective technology mattered beyond policy.
A School Rebuilt with Purpose
After the 2012 tragedy, Sandy Hook Elementary was rebuilt with safety in mind. The community wanted a school that felt open and healing, not a fortress. But safety had to be woven into the design.
Won-Door SteelGuard™ doors were tucked into hidden wall pockets, invisible during the school day, fully operational at the push of a button. They can isolate hallways, block sightlines, give teachers emergency control, and give first responders space to act.
Architect Julia McFadden said it best:
“We didn’t want to turn the school into a fortress. We wanted to create a joyful place with smart, built-in protection.” (Source: Architect Magazine)
A school administrator noted:
“What I love is that our kids can go to class every day without feeling like they’re in lockdown. But we know, behind the walls, these doors are ready if anything happens.” (Source: Won-Door Sandy Hook Case Study)
These doors are quiet, but their presence is powerful. Because once, when there were no such protections, the world watched in heartbreak. Now Sandy Hook stands not just as a place of learning, but as a symbol of resilience.
Proven in National Security
On September 11, 2001, after hearing and feeling American Airlines 77 crash into the Pentagon a Marine General raced into the hallway from his office and saw a giant fireball racing toward him. In that moment, just as he resigned himself to a horrible fate, he noticed a previously unseen barrier deploy automatically from the wall. A Won-Door FireGuard™ door sealed the hallway just seconds before flames reached him. It saved his life.
Won-Door’s products are not just hardware, they are seconds, walls of defense, and often the reason someone walks out alive.
The designed operation of Won-Door FireGuard™ doors at the Pentagon on September 11 saved many lives and prevented the destructive spread of smoke and fire. This allowed the unaffected portions of the building to continue their vital role of national security the very next day. (Video below)
Today, more than 150 Won-Door FireGuard™ doors stand throughout the Pentagon, silently keeping essential operations secure and supporting national resilience.
Smart Design in Tight Spaces: Won-Door FireGuard™ Slim
Modern buildings often use swing doors that intrude on corridor flow, clog designs, and cost more to install and maintain. Won-Door FireGuard™ Slim solves that.
This accordion-style, fire-rated door retracts into a compact 14-inch wall pocket when not in use. It operates automatically on fire alarm or smoke detector activation. It’s available up to 9 feet wide, 7 or 8 feet high, with fire ratings up to 90 minutes. (Sources: Won-Door FireGuard™ Slim blog, “Solve Challenges of Narrow Corridor Fire Separation”)
Compared to swing doors, it saves space, improves daylight and sightlines, simplifies installation, cuts material and hardware costs, and reduces maintenance.
Designed for Life, Not Just Safety
Won-Door systems give people space and control when it matters most. They:
– Close in seconds
– Deploy invisibly, blending with architecture
– Integrate with alarms and building systems
– Include sensors to enhance operation
– Offer remote activation and monitoring
The Quiet Guardians
Most doors blend into the background, until they don’t. Whether in a school built on memory or a building essential to national operations, Won-Door systems step up the moment seconds count and design fails to protect.
Contact us to learn how Won-Door can help you design spaces that live comfortably and respond courageously.
