Separating Multi-Level Atriums with a Horizontal Fire Curtain

Multi-level atriums are incredibly common when it comes to modern architecture and design. Most designers and owners prefer their buildings to have an open and airy feel, making a smaller space appear larger and providing natural light. However, building codes are fairly strict when it comes to open atriums due to the easy transport of smoke or flame through these spaces.  

Buildings three stories or greater in height often turn to mechanical smoke management systems in order to meet building codes, but that can be quite costly in more ways than one. Not only are they costly from the financial aspect, but they can slow down deadlines and require extra space in ceilings to funnel out smoke.

A horizontal fire curtain can help mitigate the need for a mechanical smoke control system by segmenting an atrium into two story compartments and eliminating the requirement for smoke evacuation which is triggered for atria three stories and above. By creating a false ceiling, a horizontally deploying smoke curtain can make a multi-level atrium seem like a single story during the event of a fire emergency and confine smoke to a single floor, rather than providing a chimney for smoke to travel from floor to floor.

Horizontal fire curtains can easily be integrated into an existing atrium or added during the design phase. Give the experts at Smoke Guard a call today to learn more!