World Leading Fire and Smoke Curtains in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has led the way in creating the world’s longest smoke curtains, and continued to invest in the best innovation for the stunning architectural projects across the region.
As the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia strides boldly into future developments, the region demands the best in smoke and fire curtain protection for it’s projects. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s skyline is adorned with iconic structures and its infrastructure continues to set new global benchmarks, and with it the demand for world leading passive fire protection solutions such as smoke and fire curtains. Coopers Fire, the distinguished global leader in fire and smoke curtain technology, has been privileged to play a crucial role in this remarkable journey, delivering bespoke solutions meticulously tailored to the unique and prestigious projects that define Saudi Arabia’s architectural dominance.
Pioneering Fire Safety Across Diverse Sectors
Coopers Fire has a proven track record of working on some of Saudi Arabia’s most iconic and complex structures such as Al Faisaliyah Tower. Our fire curtains and smoke curtains expertise spans a wide array of building types, from towering skyscrapers to transport infrastructure, and critical healthcare facilities such as Dallah Namar Hospital.
Here are some of the significant projects we have contributed to:
Al Faisaliyah Tower, Riyadh:
As one of the most recognizable skyscrapers in Riyadh, Al Faisaliyah Tower required sophisticated fire protection systems to ensure the safety of its occupants. Coopers Fire provided cutting-edge fire and smoke curtains, seamlessly integrating them into the building’s architectural design without compromising its aesthetic appeal.
Haramain High-Speed Railway, Jeddah Station:
This crucial transport hub demanded robust fire safety measures due to its scale and the volume of passengers it serves daily. Coopers Fire installed state-of-the-art fire and smoke curtains, enhancing the station’s ability to protect against fire hazards and ensuring safe evacuation routes.
Hospitals in Qassim City, Taif City, and Riyadh:
Healthcare facilities like the National Guard Specialist Hospital and Dallah Namar Hospital require impeccable fire safety due to the vulnerability of their patients. Coopers Fire’s solutions have been instrumental in safeguarding these environments, providing reliable fire and smoke containment systems that protect both patients and staff.
King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), Riyadh:
The King Abdullah Financial District is a symbol of modernity and innovation in Riyadh. Coopers Fire has been heavily involved in this project, delivering fire and smoke curtains for several parcels within the district, including the KAFD Metro Station, designed by the renowned architectural firm Zaha Hadid. These installations not only meet but exceed global fire safety standards, ensuring the protection of this vital financial hub.
The Importance of Fire Curtains in Open Plan spaces in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
For architects and specifiers designing buildings in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with open plan spaces, the specification of fire curtains is crucial for ensuring both aesthetic freedom and robust safety measures. Coopers Fire work with world leading in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with world leading Architects such as Foster & Partners and Zaha Hadid.
Fire curtains play a crucial role in enhancing fire safety in open-plan spaces, particularly in large-scale environments such as transport hubs and commercial tall buildings. Their importance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is underscored by several factors, including the region’s architectural trends, regulatory environment, and climatic conditions. Here’s a comprehensive look at why fire curtains are vital in these contexts:
1. Fire Safety and Building Code Compliance
- Regulatory Requirements: In KSA, adherence to local building codes and fire safety regulations is mandatory. Fire curtains help meet these requirements by providing a means of compartmentalizing large open spaces, which can be essential for controlling smoke and fire spread, thereby enhancing occupant safety.
- Safety Standards: The Saudi Building Code (SBC) and other regulations mandate fire protection measures that include the use of fire-resistant materials and systems. Fire curtains are designed to resist flames and smoke, helping to contain a fire within a designated area and facilitate safe evacuation.
2. Architectural and Design Considerations
- Open Plan Layouts: Modern architecture in KSA often features expansive open-plan spaces to accommodate high foot traffic and create flexible environments. Fire curtains are essential in such designs to create fire-resistant barriers and protect escape routes and critical areas from smoke and fire.
- Aesthetic Flexibility: Fire curtains offer a discreet fire protection solution that does not compromise the aesthetic qualities of open-plan spaces. They can be integrated seamlessly into various architectural designs, maintaining the visual appeal of large commercial and transport buildings.
3. Climate and Environmental Factors
- High Temperatures: The extreme temperatures in KSA can impact the performance of fire protection systems. Fire curtains are designed to withstand high temperatures and maintain their integrity during a fire, ensuring effective protection even under challenging conditions.
- Dust and Sand: The presence of dust and sand in the environment can affect the operation of mechanical fire protection systems. Fire curtains, being less susceptible to these elements, provide a reliable alternative that requires less maintenance and ensures consistent performance.
4. Commercial and Transport Hub Considerations
- High Traffic Volumes: In transport hubs and commercial buildings, the high volume of people increases the importance of effective fire safety measures. Fire curtains help in managing the flow of people during emergencies, guiding them towards safe exits and minimizing panic.
- Large Open Spaces: Transport hubs, such as airports and train stations, and tall commercial buildings often feature large, open areas that are challenging to protect with traditional fire barriers. Fire curtains are versatile and can be deployed to section off large areas, ensuring that fire and smoke do not spread uncontrollably.
5. Operational Efficiency
- Ease of Use: Fire curtains are designed to be user-friendly, automatically deploying in the event of a fire and requiring minimal manual intervention. This operational efficiency is crucial in maintaining safety in busy environments.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Compared to other fire protection systems, fire curtains can be a cost-effective solution, providing significant fire safety benefits with potentially lower installation and maintenance costs.
6. Enhanced Fire Protection and Safety
- Containment and Evacuation: By compartmentalising fire and smoke, fire curtains help protect escape routes and ensure that occupants can evacuate safely. They also aid in the protection of critical infrastructure and sensitive areas within commercial and transport hubs.
- Property Protection: Beyond safeguarding lives, fire curtains help in protecting property and reducing potential damage. This is especially important in high-value environments like commercial tall buildings and major transport facilities.
Fire curtains are a critical component of fire safety systems in open-plan spaces across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Their ability to integrate with modern architectural designs, combined with their effectiveness in high-temperature and challenging environmental conditions, makes them an indispensable element in ensuring the safety of occupants and the protection of property in large-scale commercial and transport facilities.
As an end-to-end UK manufacturer and installer Coopers Fire support architects to get the best in fire and smoke curtain innovation and certification:
- Independent Third Party Accreditation
- Tested to UL and BS EN Standards
- Bespoke manufacture and in country support from our Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Distributor.
Healthcare building Projects – Concertina Fire Curtains in Riyadh
Dallah Namar Hospital, located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has taken significant steps to enhance its fire safety measures by installing three FireMaster Concertina and four FireMaster active fire barriers. These fire curtains are strategically placed within the hospital’s corridors to act as barriers, controlling the movement of fire and smoke in the event of a fire incident. Fire curtains have a critical role in healthcare settings and the importance of compartmentation within hospital environments.
COOPERS FIRE MANUFACTURE AND INSTALL THE LONGEST SMOKE CURTAINS IN THE WORLD in Saudi Arabia
Coopers Fire embarked on a transformative project to bolster fire safety measures within the intricate network of tunnels beneath the Great Mosque of Mecca, revered as Al-Masjid al-Haram. Given the significant foot traffic, particularly during the Hajj pilgrimage, the need for robust fire safety infrastructure was paramount.
Drawing on its legacy of innovation, Coopers Fire engineered a suite of advanced smoke curtains tailored to the unique requirements of the Mecca Tunnels project. These cutting-edge solutions, including the SmokeStop D600A Smoke Curtains, were meticulously designed to seamlessly integrate with the tunnels’ architecture while ensuring optimal functionality.
