To divide or not to divide? Although room dividers are often an excellent addition to spaces that require additional privacy, compartmentalized space for multiple users, or a way to redirect foot traffic, permanent dividers and walls can limit your design options and overall functionality.
Movable partitions mean you don’t need to choose one or the other. As the ways in which end users utilize the space change with their needs, so can the form of the room follow these new functions.
Let’s explore how movable dividing systems contribute to more dynamic interior spaces — plus how to create stunning, one-of-a-kind experiences with our lightweight, decorative partitions.
What Is a Movable Partition?
As a category, movable partitions, walls, and dividers refer to flexible, large- or multi-paneled systems that are designed to open, close, remove, swap, or reconfigure altogether. Movement is typically guided by floor and/or ceiling tracks, which vary in complexity and hardware requirements — though our systems are engineered without the need of a floor track.
Unlike more permanent room division solutions — be it a large privacy screen or accordion wall — movable systems are typically lighter, easier to maneuver, and designed to withstand potential wear and tear from frequent reconfigurations.
The Advantages of Sliding Partitions
While the primary benefit of a movable partition is evident in its name, these systems offer a host of other advantages compared to other room division alternatives. Depending on the application, a movable partition could be the right solution for you if these top-line benefits sound appealing:
Flexibility
From single-home residencies to large-scale hospitality projects, designers and architects continue to adopt more flexible practices into interiors. Although flexibility, adaptability, and versatility have always been pieces of the interior design puzzle, they came to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic — which forced people to deeply consider how to extract multiple uses from a single space.
COVID-era shelter-in-place advisories may be behind us, but the demand for more flexible interior design has remained. Adjustable partitions are ideal for accommodating hybrid-first workplaces, hotel lobbies and prefunction spaces, multi-purpose medical facilities, and other dynamic interiors.
Captivating Design
The decision to specify a movable partition is often a pragmatic one. Does this fit into our budget? What’s the lead time? Can it move, perform, and function in the ways that I need it to?
The right solution, however, should be more than a backdrop to your vision — it should elevate it. If you’re looking for custom solutions that divide and inspire, we have plenty of resources to get you started.
Acoustics and Auditory Privacy
Room dividers do more than provide visual privacy; they also reshape the acoustics of the larger space. Partitioning areas promotes greater privacy between spaces that may otherwise share similar functions or between neighboring areas that require autonomous sound needs.
Our team recently conducted sound transmission field tests with a third-party engineering firm to give our customers a realistic impression of sound transfer between our room dividing solutions. We found that our solutions are best suited for applications that have a similar functions on both sides of the room divider — such as a partition between offices or from a serving station to dining hall.
Natural Lighting
The impact of natural lighting on overall design is well-documented. It can make small spaces feel larger, improve occupant well-being, and reduce the amount of electric lighting energy consumption (which occupies as much as 35% of the total electric load in conventional office buildings).
Large, spacious rooms typically have a difficult time balancing natural light transmission with space separation and privacy. Walls, cubicles, and other traditional dividers obfuscate light entirely. At the same time, these permanent divider solutions create structure, designate personal working spaces, and reduce background noise.
Movable partitions provide a middle ground through two important features. First, the ability to tuck the solution away while not in use provides total light access to innermost spaces. Second, panel inserts made with semi-transparent or translucent glazing provide the desired amount of natural light relative to privacy.
Movable Partitions Vs. Drywall Construction
Many of the benefits outlined above are even more evident when comparing a new interior wall installation to less permanent alternatives. Movable partitions may not be the solution for every situation, but they win over drywall construction in more ways than one.
- Easier to reconfigure. Interior drywall is a much more permanent decision than an operable wall. Even “permanent” room dividers that use floor or ceiling tracks are easier to remove and reinstall, giving end users more options down the road should they choose to reimagine the space.
- More cost- and time-effective. These additional construction complexities come at a cost, either to your bottom line or your project timeline. While the upfront cost of partitions can be higher than drywall, the long-term savings in reconfiguration and adaptability often outweigh the initial investment.
- More customizability. Solid walls can be adorned with artwork, textures, or even interior windows, but overall they are much more limited in what is possible to customize. Compare your standard wall to our customization options, which include opportunities to modify the frame material, patterning and opacity of the panel glazing, muntins or patterns, door pulls and locks, and tracks.
- Continuity. Walls completely separate spaces from each other, they obstruct the flow of traffic when foot traffic is high, and they limit potential or future applications of the space. A movable room divider — especially those that do not interrupt with floor tracks — helps delineate each area’s purpose without losing the larger whole.
Types of Movable Wall Partitions
With so many ways to divide, how do you choose the solution that will best serve your design? Start by reviewing these popular movable wall types:
Sliding Walls
Perhaps the most popular movable partition, sliding walls move along a track, telescoping as it expands to segment one space from the next. Our ultra-lightweight sliding walls are extremely easy to operate, regardless of their size or number of panels, which makes them a great candidate for environments that require frequent configurations.
Wing Walls
Technically a category within sliding walls, wing walls move “in front” of an opening (as opposed to within it), which allows it to retract behind an adjacent wall. This full-clearance access to the opening makes wing walls an ideal solution for home offices, lobbies, conference spaces, and other high-traffic areas.
Pocket Walls
Designed as the ultimate space-saving solution, pocket partitions glide into a recessed opening (or “pocket”), meaning they effectively disappear from the space while not in use. The result is a movable partition that is fully capable of dividing large spaces and maximizing opening clearance.
Folding Walls
Simple to install, cost-effective, and stunning in their own right, our folding walls offer a sizeable opening clearance and only require a single track. Compared to other multi-paneled solutions, folding walls are one of the most user-friendly systems on the market, prioritizing both ease of movement and durability.
Stacking Walls
As our most versatile room divider, our stacking solutions have found their way into homes, commercial offices, hotels, and other spaces that are seeking a unique approach to reconfiguring their space. That can include adding a pivot door for building code requirements or adding a near limitless number of panels for large, expansive projects.
Division in Motion: Examples of Previous Projects
We’ve helped countless architectural and design firms create movable division systems that bring their visions to life. Below are a handful of our favorites.
- Learning in Style at Robofun
Robofun, a Manhattan-based organization that offers S.T.E.A.M. education for Pre-K to 8th-grade students, needed help making their learning space more functional for multiple uses and varying class sizes. Offering everything from summer camps and after-school programs to private lessons and even birthday parties, a flex space was essential to meet students’ needs. Raydoor and AVKE Design + Architecture worked together to create a flexible space using sliding wall systems that meet at a corner, which staff can quickly and easily operate.
- Privacy Meets Visual Intrigue at Baoshi Food Hall
Baoshi, a popular food hall and bar in Miami, recently added a custom sliding wall system to divide its bar area from the rest of the cafeteria. The result? An intimate bar atmosphere, perfect for sipping craft cocktails and catching up with friends.
- Balancing Light and Privacy at Fortunati Vineyards
In this project, our team provided custom sliding partitions to create a versatile and flexible layout, which further elevated the modern, light-filled look. These partitions allow the space to transition seamlessly between the open-plan sitting and conference areas, while complementing the room’s exposed wooden beams and contemporary decor.
- Simple Yet Stunning Room Division in Jersey City
Simple forms, warm colors, and a sleek design help create a calming environment removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. Our frosted-wall sliding partitions not only offer privacy but also maximize the use of natural light, seamlessly blending function and aesthetics. This project highlights how movable partitions can even be applied within residential settings to create modern, space-saving solutions.
- Adding the “Wow-Factor” in Matsuhisa Denver
For this project, our team designed and installed sliding partitions with custom, high-detail, textured panels to create flexible, private dining spaces within the restaurant. Paired with the size and stature of the panels, our custom look helps create a one-of-a-kind dining experience for guests.
Promoting Flexible Design with Raydoor Movable Partitions
For interior spaces that require a dynamic touch, movable partitions are a highly versatile, practical, and visually appealing solution. As the experts in flexible design, Raydoor offers a wide range of operable wall systems, customization opportunities, and expertise to help architects and designers make best use of their available space.
