Sector
Heritage / Cinema
Location
Graceville, QLD
The Regal Twin Cinema, Graceville QLD required a tailored fire engineering approach to support a refurbishment of the existing heritage-style cinema.
Our solution balanced the need for regulatory compliance while maintaining the architectural character of the building. delivering a fire safety strategy that enables modern upgrades without compromising operational functionality.
The Challenges:
- The cinema is an existing Class 9b building undergoing renovations, including the conversion of an existing room into a new cinema.
- The Building Code of Australia (BCA) Deemed-to-Satisfy (DtS) provisions posed constraints on exit travel distances, requiring a performance-based solution.
- Fire safety measures needed to integrate with the heritage aspects and existing fire strategy while ensuring full compliance with the National Construction Code (NCC) 2022.
The Solutions:
- Developed a Performance Solution allowing extended egress travel distances while maintaining occupant safety through enhanced smoke detection.
- Implemented additional smoke detectors and containment measures to offset increased travel distances and support timely evacuation.
- Introduced self-closing solid core doors to manage smoke movement within key circulation spaces.
The Outcomes:
- A compliant fire safety strategy that enables continued use and future adaptability of the cinema.
- A solution that respects the architectural intent of the refurbishment while prioritising occupant safety.
- A performance-based fire engineering approach that supports evacuation while aligning with NCC Performance Requirements.
This project demonstrates how performance-based fire engineering can provide a practical yet innovative approach to managing fire safety in heritage buildings.
