Charlestown Square Shopping Centre NSW
The team of Scientific Fire Services delivered a cost effective and innovative solution developed around fire safety engineering principles for retail design for the Charlestown Square project.
Charlestown Square Shopping Centre development.
Expansion of over 43,000 square metres
Over $350 million redevelopment.
The Charlestown Square Shopping Centre is a typical large regional shopping centre located in Charlestown, south of Newcastle.
It was originally constructed in 1978 with a second stage constructed in 1987 and a third stage completed in 1996. The expansion of the Charlestown Square Shopping Centre represents stage 4 of the evolution of Charlestown Square.
The development includes major retail tenancies, cinema complex, food courts, open piazza entertaining and major retail mall arrangement.. Scientific Fire Services Pty Limited has conducted a comprehensive fire hazard analyses of the fire safety strategies developed for the Charlestown Square project
The fire safety engineering design philosophy adopted a unique occupant egress strategy utilising a 'place of safety' concept.
The performance based fire safety engineering approach has provided an avenue to explore and demonstrate the feasibility of building designs.
The prime project objectives of the fire safety strategy listed below were achieved:
- Satisfy the architectural vision and design specifications without compromising the Code objectives.
- Preserve the functionality requirements of a large open volume space for free circulation of occupants appropriate to a large shopping centre building.
- Minimise alternations required for the existing fire safety systems while enhancing the overall level of life safety of the total building such that compatibility with the existing portions of the building is achieved.
- Ensure an alternative solution is developed which demonstrates that the code performance requirements are fully satisfied.
The smoke hazard management systems within the retail developments have incorporated mechanical smoke ventilation extraction systems through open central voids.
Sophisticated occupant movement simulations were undertaken on a ‘holistic’ basis in order to assess the effective performance of the emergency evacuation strategies. The base building design and future casual leasing arrangements were considered as part of the comprehensive simulations. The outcomes resulted in effective occupant egress designs that are compatible with modern retail design concepts.
The use of performance based engineering has facilitated flexibility in design through extensive retail design knowledge. A range of cost effective protective measures have been employed to achieve an accord with the performance criteria of the BCA requirements.