Thank you for reading The Glen Eclipse Case Study

“We had to really think about making the transitional space between the original home and the addition feel fluid and connected, even though the levels aren’t, well, level from one to the other. And that’s where the elevator plays a central role.”

“We’d specified Savaria home elevators on other projects, so we knew almost anything is possible,” says Fong. "Savaria has enough products that there's always something to fit the design goal, rather than altering the plan to suit the product."

For The Glen, the team chose the Savaria Eclipse for its flexible configuration capabilities—including half-floor stops—its space-saving, machine-roomless design, and its reliable geared-chain drive system.

The Eclipse is the most popular traditional home elevator model in the Savaria portfolio, offering a quick-installing modular design, a capacity ranging from 750lb (base model) to 1000 lb (HD model), a minimum pit depth of just 8” with an overhead of only 96” and the ability to use same-side, straight-through or 90º entry and exit configuration options.

There was also no problem getting the Eclipse engineered and manufactured to stop at every half-level—two stops on each of the old side and the new side of the home—making the elevator part of the connection between living spaces of the original structure and the new addition.

“It really wasn’t challenging at all,” says Fong of getting the elevator made the way she wanted it to work. “We designed with this intent from the start and used the elevator and the stairwell in concert to tie the two parts of the home together and create an easy and fluid transition.”

In addition to the flexibility of the elevator’s configurations, Fong and her clients were able to get the exact look and feel they wanted with the Savaria Eclipse.

More than a mode of transportation

“We usually see home elevators as mainly utilitarian and a feature for aging in place, so we hide them inside completely solid shaftways, tucked away. We put them behind millwork and panels. And the design aesthetic of the cab is sometimes an afterthought. For The Glen, accessibility for aging in place was the primary function, yes. But we also wanted the elevator to be an extension of the overall design with glass and wood elements being an integral aspect of the home’s interior design. We all had a lot of fun picking finishes that would also deliver the required functionality.”

The cab is finished with fluted white oak panels with black stainless-steel fixtures and black ceiling panel with custom flush light fixtures. Savaria Auto Slim glass doors and gates framed in black are installed on two sides of this 90° cab giving the elevator and airy feel and it travels.

Savaria Eclipse Specifications

4 stops, 185" total travel
40" X 54" X 96" cab
Type 4 (two doors/ 90°)
Blackened stainless steel fixtures
Auto slim black framed glass doors and cab gates
Black ceiling
Contractor supplied: custom cab in fluted white oak and oak flooring, surface mounted LED lights

Tunnel Vision

Adding the Savaria auto slim glass landing doors and gates give this elevator windows to the world on two sides of the elevator. But this also means you can see inside the hoistway when the elevator is not at your landing level. You don’t want to see a dark tunnel.

For this project, the elevator shaft was finished with drywall, paint and full height mural wallpaper on one side. The elevator pit was painted in a medium gray to keep a clean look. LED channel lighting was added to the four shaft corners creating an ambience for all landings regardless of where the cab sits. The homeowners kept the standard neutral rail color, but Savaria can custom paint rails as well.

With glass panels or cab gates, finishing the hoistway is an important consideration. Art can be seen through the glass observation panel. Courtesy of Mobility Elevator & Lift.