- Office refurbishment increases fresh inflow by 200%, enhances natural light.
- New design required development of ground-breaking fire safety strategy.
- First ever use of horizontal fire curtains in Australia.
The aim of this office upgrade in Sydney was to create a vibrant and open workspace, conducive to communication and productivity, while reflecting the firm’s strong green credentials. The client’s choice, to refurbish eight storeys within an existing 32-floor high-rise tower, added to the challenge.
The design solution proposed by architects Bligh Voller Nield was to connect the floors with an open atrium and central staircase. Arup’s environmental consultants developed the design to increase fresh airflow by 200% and enhance natural light throughout the tenancy.
However, both the architectural vision and the environmental objectives required the atrium to be as open as possible, an aim that contravened the Building Code of Australia (BCA) fire codes. A smoke exhaust typically specified for atria could not be used because of tenancies above.
Arup’s fire team devised an award-winning strategy, using a combination of flexible, horizontal fire curtains – the first time they had been used in Australia – and vertical fire curtains that met the requirements of both the BCA and New South Wales Fire Brigades. When the system is triggered, the curtains separate the atrium into two three-storey compartments and one two-storey compartment.
The project showcases what can be done with existing building stock, both in creating an exciting new work environment and in achieving excellence in environmental performance.
The project ran from 2006 to 2007.
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