Tag: fire-safety | ArchDaily

Dialogue with the Code: Calibrating Standards for Adaptive Reuse to Thrive

Jonathan Yeung — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 07:30:00 +0000

There is growing awareness around sustainability—and the environmental cost of prematurely demolishing safe, structurally sound buildings only to replace them with new construction. In the broader race to reduce carbon emissions, corporations and institutions are placing greater emphasis on ESG performance (environmental impact, social responsibility, and governance). Many now require carbon accounting, set "carbon-neutral" targets, or purchase carbon credits to offset footprints.

Ventilated Facades and Fire Performance: A Global Approach to the System

Rene Submissions — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 06:45:00 +0000

As the technical requirements of building envelopes have evolved, fire performance has become a key criterion in the design of ventilated facades. Given this situation, analyses no longer focus solely on the individual reaction of materials, but also on the joint response of the entire building envelope under possible scenarios of external fire propagation.

Architecture Details 101 in Venice: Carlo Scarpa and David Chipperfield in Dialogue Across Time

Jonathan Yeung — Mon, 19 May 2025 04:00:00 +0000

In Venice, surrounded by an overwhelming abundance of architectural beauty—the grandeur of landmarks like the Basilica di San Marco, St. Mark's Square, and the Rialto Bridge, to name just a few—it is easy to become swept up in the iconic imagery and spatial majesty of the city. One could lose sight of the quieter, yet equally masterful, moments found in the execution of details across its built fabric. Beyond the grandeur, the city offers a richness in its winding alleyways, narrow canals, and vibrant street life—each contributing to the cultural tapestry that makes Venice so unique. Amidst these celebrated elements, however, lie subtle but remarkable architectural details that often go unnoticed. These deserve closer observation and reflection, as they offer their own kind of mastery—one grounded in material precision, craft, and the lived rhythms of the city.

The Impact of Wildfires on Building Codes: Reflections on the Recent Los Angeles Fires

Jonathan Yeung — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 04:00:00 +0000

It has been nearly three weeks since one of California's most devastating wildfires began, triggering an immense effort to combat the blaze and mitigate further damage. As firefighters work to contain the remaining flames, the city braces for its first significant winter rainfall, raising concerns about flooding and landslides that may exacerbate the already extensive destruction.

Beautiful, Functional, and Romantic: Spiral Staircases in Paris

James Wormald — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Whether rising to the highest room of the tallest tower in a Disney-esque castle, giving an admirer the chance to confess their love on an apartment building fire escape, or connecting a basement or attic room with a decorative period feature, there’s something unavoidably romantic about spiral staircases. But there’s more function behind these coiling forms than just their good looks.

Building Resilience: A Closer Look at 2023's Response to Disaster Challenges

Maria-Cristina Florian — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 07:30:00 +0000

As we reflect on the tumultuous events of 2023, it becomes evident that the challenges posed by changing environmental conditions have left an indelible mark on communities worldwide. In response, architects and urban planners have set out, searching for the ways in which their actions can help create safer environments for communities worldwide, responding with both fast-to-deploy emergency architectures and long-term strategies to build resilience and mitigate risks.

The Meteoric Rise of Cross-Laminated Timber Construction: 50 Projects that Use Engineered-Wood Architecture

James Wormald — Sat, 27 May 2023 07:30:00 +0000

Timber is a natural, renewable material, easy to fabricate, and with low-carbon emissions. As a construction material, however, when put under enough directional force along its grain, sawn timber is structurally unstable, so deemed unsuitable under higher loads. In comparison, the manufacture of cross-laminated timber (CLT) involves simply gluing multiple layers of timber together at right angles. By crossing the direction of the grains, CLT achieves a far higher level of structural rigidity along both axes. CLT boards start with a minimum of three layers but can be strengthened further with the addition of more. Simply put, due to the complex physics involved in the perpendicular lamination, the strength of CLT board is similar to that of reinforced concrete, and has proven performance under seismic forces.

How Fire Protection Glass Can Save Lives without Compromising Design

Olivia Bartolini — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 05:45:00 +0000

While glass is generally singled out as the weakest part of a building, it is not always true. With technological advances and the continuous innovations of the industry, there is glass that, even while allowing natural light to enter an environment, can protect the building from fire. Beyond fire, there are also other threats such as hot gases, smoke, and heat transmission, which put the safe evacuation of people and the protection of property at risk.

Timber Tutorial: How to Build Taller with Wood

Eric Baldwin — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 04:30:00 +0000

Tall timber buildings are on the rise. Design teams around the world are taking advantage of ever-evolving mass timber technologies, resulting in taller and taller structures. Building off our recent article exploring the future of high-rise buildings, we’re taking a deeper dive into new emerging timber technologies and the advantages of building taller with wood. This tutorial explores how to make tall timber structures a reality.

The Importance of Fire Doors for Creating Safe Buildings

Megan Schires — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 04:30:00 +0000

Building design today, and throughout the 20th century, has been significantly shaped by fire safety considerations. Architects today are familiar with the wide range of code requirements for a building to be compliant, from materials, to fire extinguisher locations, to fire-rated walls and doors. As buildings have become better-equipped to withstand fire emergencies, however, modern life has simultaneously increased the amount of fire hazards we live with.

What Type of Glass Most Effectively Resists Fire?

José Tomás Franco — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 06:35:00 +0000

Insufficiently regulated in much of the world, the fire resistance of glass is an important issue that is often poorly resolved, endangering people's lives. What characteristics must a glass have to resist a fire? What options are there to choose from? We talked with the experts of Cristales Dialum to investigate these essential questions.

How Do Insulated Metal Panel Systems Offer Superior Fire Performance?

AEC Daily — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 04:30:00 +0000

Architects and designers are constantly looking to the latest design and façade trends to create attractive buildings for their clients. The challenge they face is delivering a creative look that meets building code compliance and testing standards. With high-rise buildings in particular, it is critical that the materials used for the building's construction perform effectively to prevent a disaster if a fire occurs.

Fire Doors: How to Incorporate Them Into an Architecture Project

Audrey Migliani — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 07:45:00 +0000

Fire doors are doors that meet fire resistance standards and can prevent fire (or smoke) from spreading through the floors or living spaces of a building, allowing people to evacuate safely from a fire.

Reaction And Fire Resistance: How Are Materials Classified In The Event Of A Fire?

José Tomás Franco — Wed, 01 May 2019 04:00:00 +0000

In case of fire, protecting the lives of people is the most important. All occupants of the building should have the opportunity to evacuate on time, and the time available depends largely on the materials chosen and their behavior during fire exposure.

Notre-Dame and the Questions It Raises About Sacred Space

Michael J. Crosbie — Sun, 28 Apr 2019 06:30:00 +0000

This article was originally published on CommonEdge as "Notre-Dame and the Questions It Raises About Sacred Space."

Why Public Spaces are the Safest Investment for Secure Cities

Fabian Dejtiar — Sun, 02 Dec 2018 08:00:00 +0000

Architecture is powerful, and like nuclear energy, it all depends on how it is used. While it can create uninhabitable municipalities, it can also create safer cities that improve quality of life.

UK Announces Plans to Work with Survivors and Families to Create Memorial on Grenfell Tower Site

Patrick Lynch — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 12:30:00 +0000

Nearly 8 months after the devastating fire at London’s Grenfell Tower resulted in the loss of 71 lives, the UK government has announced that they will be working together with the tower’s survivors, families and community to determine the future of the Grenfell Tower site.

RIBA Releases Statement Addressing Grenfell Fire Tragedy

Sabrina Syed — Sat, 08 Jul 2017 12:00:00 +0000

RIBA Releases Statement Addressing Grenfell Fire Tragedy - summary and statement.