Enhancing Fire Safety in a Complex Retail Environment
Aura Fire, completed a comprehensive Fire Strategy Report for the Kiko Milano retail unit on Oxford Street, Soho Place.
This project involved a detailed fire engineering review of the ground and first floors, approximately 400 sqm, within an existing multi-storey building primarily designated for office and retail use. Our work was critical as the unit represented an alteration project under the Building Regulations 2010, requiring careful integration with the building’s existing fire strategy developed by ARUP. This presented a unique challenge to ensure robust life safety standards within a dynamic retail environment.
Our Fire Strategy Report provided essential insights and recommendations tailored to the unit’s specific occupancy profile, which considers visitors “awake and unfamiliar with the building” and a “fast” fire growth rate.
Key aspects addressed included a comprehensive analysis of means of escape, with the occupant load for the two floors carefully limited to 60 persons due to a single protected staircase. We confirmed compliance of travel distances (e.g., 57.5m two-way)and detailed requirements for active fire safety systems, including a Category L1 addressable fire detection and alarm system. Furthermore, the report outlined critical passive fire spread prevention measures such as structural fire resistance, compartmentation, and fire-rated doors, all developed in line with comprehensive fire safety regulations and the BS 9999:2017 code of practice. This strategic review ensures the Kiko Milano unit maintains high fire safety standards and regulatory compliance for its specific layout and operation.
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