Bad Design: Mifflin Hall Side Entrance Doors

Created by: Anthony Marinelli

Engineering Design 100 Section 6

Dr. Ming Chuan Chiu

The Problem This side door to mifflin hall is an exit-

only door. While useful in an emergency, it does not provide access to the building on a heavily trafficked side. There are three entrances to Mifflin Hall and only two of these three are both an entrance and exit. It is close to 75 feet to the next entrance. This exit also is where the designated smoking area for Mifflin Hall is, leaving smokers to walk around to the front entrance if they wish to re-enter the building after smoking. Most don’t abide by this and smoke in the front of the building, causing fumes to enter the rooms of those above where the smokers are.

The Solution

The solution to this problem could be solved multiple ways, but since Penn State already employs this automated unlocking system I felt this was the best solution. The device pictured simply reads the student’s i.d. card and grants them access to the building in which they live.

Completed Solution

References

All photos taken by Anthony Marinelli