How did Burberry Achieve Open-Plan Elegance with Smoke Curtains in Singapore?

This new venture was part of Burberry’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its presence in key global markets, building on the success of its existing two Singapore locations. By choosing Paragon Mall, a premier retail destination, Burberry aimed to position itself as a leader in high-end fashion while embracing cutting-edge architectural and safety solutions.

Challenge: Balancing Open Design with Fire Safety

At the heart of Burberry’s design vision for the Paragon Mall store was an open staircase connecting the first floor to the ground floor. This staircase was intended to serve as a central design feature, creating a seamless flow between the store’s levels and encouraging customers to explore the entire space. However, this open-plan concept presented a significant fire safety challenge.

The fire engineer expressed concerns about the potential for smoke to rise through the open staircase in the event of a fire on the ground floor. To comply with fire safety regulations, the initial recommendation was to install a full-height wall with a smoke door to prevent smoke from traveling upward. While effective, this solution would have disrupted the store’s open and inviting design, compromising the customer experience and Burberry’s aesthetic vision. The challenge was clear: how to maintain the store’s architectural integrity while ensuring compliance with fire safety standards.

Solution: Innovative Smoke Curtain Design for Open Spaces

Coopers Fire’s engineering team rose to the challenge by designing a bespoke smoke containment solution that seamlessly integrated with Burberry’s vision. Drawing on their extensive expertise in fire and smoke curtain technology, the team developed a solution that preserved the store’s open-plan aesthetic while providing robust smoke containment capabilities.

• Discrete Smoke Curtains: A key aspect of the solution was the installation of smoke curtains that were completely hidden within the ceiling. This invisible design ensured that the store’s clean and modern aesthetic was not compromised. The smoke curtains deploy only in the event of a fire, remaining out of sight during normal operation and maintaining the store’s sleek appearance.
• Enhanced Open-Plan Design: By avoiding the need for compartmentation, such as walls or doors, Coopers Fire’s solution allowed the open staircase to remain a prominent feature of the store. This approach supported Burberry’s goal of creating a spacious and welcoming retail environment, enhancing the overall shopping experience for customers.
• Compliance with Safety Standards: The smoke curtains were designed and installed to meet the stringent EN-12101-1 standard for smoke containment. This ensured that the solution provided effective smoke control in the event of a fire, offering peace of mind to Burberry and its customers without detracting from the store’s design.

Outcome: Achieving Safety and Elegance in Retail Design
The result was a seamless integration of fire safety and architectural innovation. Coopers Fire’s smoke curtains enabled Burberry to maintain its open-plan design while ensuring full compliance with fire safety regulations. The hidden installation preserved the store’s luxurious aesthetic, allowing customers to enjoy an uninterrupted shopping experience in a beautifully designed space.

This project is a testament to Coopers Fire’s ability to deliver tailored solutions that address complex challenges. By combining technical expertise with a deep understanding of architectural requirements, Coopers Fire helped Burberry achieve its vision of a safe, elegant, and customer-centric retail environment.

Singapore Smoke Curtain Installation from our Distributor Innivate

Coopers Fire is proud to collaborate with our Singapore distributor, Innivate, on the successful installation of a smoke curtain at the Burberry retail outlet. This installation highlights our commitment to providing top-tier fire safety solutions for high-profile retail spaces, ensuring both aesthetic appeal and safety. Innivate’s expertise in delivering seamless and reliable fire curtain solutions played a key role in enhancing the safety and functionality of the Burberry store, showcasing our product’s versatility in a luxury retail environment.

Final Thoughts: Seamless Safety Solutions for Luxury Retail Spaces

Coopers Fire’s collaboration with Burberry demonstrates the power of innovative engineering to enhance retail design. The bespoke smoke curtain solution not only ensured compliance with fire safety standards but also supported Burberry’s commitment to creating exceptional shopping experiences. By enabling the open-plan design to remain intact, the installation highlighted the potential for safety solutions to complement, rather than compromise, architectural ambition.

This case study underscores Coopers Fire’s dedication to blending safety with style, delivering solutions that prioritise both functionality and aesthetics. Whether for luxury retail spaces or other high-profile projects, Coopers Fire continues to set the standard for excellence in fire and smoke containment technology.