A private hangar on a residential airstrip in Pennsylvania has gained attention for its design-forward approach, notably featuring a glass hydraulic door by Schweiss Doors. The 12.5-m (41-ft) wide door is part of a custom-built hangar owned by Don Smith Jr., a pilot and the president of Conewago Enterprises Inc.
Designed as more than a utilitarian storage space, the 13-m (44-ft) wide hangar structure doubles as a high-performance storage space for aircraft and automobiles. Exposed steel trusses span the interior, supporting a vaulted wood ceiling. Architectural finishes include precast concrete wall panels, red brick and stone veneer cladding, and polished concrete floors that reflect the overhead structure. A signature feature of the design is the hydraulic door, engineered with a custom aluminum frame and expansive glass infill. When closed, the glazed door offers clean vertical lines and panoramic views; when open, it lifts in a single motion to create a seamless indoor–outdoor threshold—underscoring the hangar’s dual role as a functional building and a refined display space. The one-piece hydraulic door opens outward and upward in a single motion and is powered by a proprietary pump and cylinder system. Smith’s construction firm installed the door, and he noted Schweiss’s technical support during the installation process.