Hope’s Windows, Inc., the nation’s leading manufacturer of custom hot-rolled steel and solid bronze window and door systems, highlights its University Series™ Steel Windows and Doors, engineered for projects requiring historic replication of exterior putty-glazed steel windows and doors in both new construction and replacement applications. The series combines very narrow sightlines, refined hot-rolled steel profiles, and modern glazing capabilities to help design and construction teams reconcile preservation mandates with contemporary performance criteria on education, civic, cultural, and institutional projects.
University Series profiles are purpose-designed to mirror classic exterior putty-glazed steel windows, including a distinct beveled exterior edge that emulates traditional putty glazing. This precise replication enables new units to integrate visually with existing façades, helping architects satisfy historic district and campus design standards while maintaining a cohesive envelope where original and replacement openings are used side by side. The system preserves the visual language of early steel fenestration while delivering the durability and performance demanded by current codes and owner expectations.
Images Courtesy of: Hopes Windows
A defining characteristic of the University Series is its very narrow sightlines, closely matching the slender profiles of historic steel windows while supporting contemporary façade and daylighting strategies. Reduced frame dimensions increase visible glass area and daylight penetration, allowing lighter, more transparent façades that still read as historically appropriate from street and campus vantage points. This balance improves occupant comfort, views, and visual connectivity without resorting to bulkier framing that compromises the original architectural intent.
The 1-3/4-inch-deep profiles are engineered with increased moment of inertia to support larger window sizes without the additional reinforcing or intermediate mullions often required with alternative systems. This structural capacity gives architects and engineers more freedom to open up façades, align with modern program needs, or re-create oversized historic units while maintaining the delicate appearance associated with traditional steel sections. The combination of profile depth and stiffness supports consistent module rhythms and alignment strategies across both renovation and new-build applications.
University Series fixed, projected, and casement windows accept insulating glass makeups up to 3/4 inch, accommodating a broad range of insulating, laminated, and specialty glazing assemblies to address energy efficiency, acoustics, security, and life-safety requirements within a historically appropriate frame. Operable units incorporate triple integral groove weatherstripping, delivering robust air and water performance, supporting energy targets, and enhancing occupant comfort in high-use institutional environments.
The system is interior glazed and utilizes snap-in glazing beads, with additional bead options available to suit project detailing and maintenance strategies. Interior glazing streamlines installation and future reglazing from inside the building, an advantage for multi-story campus and civic work, while preserving clean, historically aligned lines on the exterior. Together, the glazing approach and bead options support efficient field labor, secure glass retention, and consistent sightlines across large and complex installations.
Complementing the window line, University Series doors extend the same historic replication approach to single and French-style configurations, enabling a unified putty-glazed steel language at entries, egress
points, and glazed connections. These doors share the narrow sightlines, 1-3/4-inch profile depth, and up to 3/4-inch insulating glass capacity of the windows, simplifying coordination of profiles, joints, and grid patterns across the building envelope. Triple integral groove weatherstripping at doors further strengthens air and water performance at high-traffic thresholds, supporting durability and long-term operation in demanding institutional settings.
Across windows and doors, the University Series is finished with Hope’s multi-step finishing system, engineered for consistent color, superior adhesion, and strong resistance to corrosion and environmental degradation. This advanced coating process helps ensure that installed systems retain both appearance and function over decades of service, aligning with the long ownership cycles typical of universities, public institutions, and mission-driven organizations. For architecture, construction, and building professionals tasked with delivering historically sensitive projects that must also meet modern performance and lifecycle expectations, Hope’s University Series provides a specification-ready platform for steel windows and doors that are as resilient as they are authentic.
For more information on the University Series, visit hopeswindows.com.
About Hope’s Windows, Inc.
Established in 1912, Hope’s Windows, Inc. has a legacy of delivering handcrafted window and door systems of the highest quality. From historic restorations to modern luxury designs, Hope’s products are chosen for iconic projects around the world. Each window and door is a testament to the company’s commitment to exceptional design, engineering, and craftsmanship.
