Atrium Smoke Curtains: 7 Coordination Decisions

An atrium curtain can be correctly manufactured and still undermine the smoke strategy if it sits on the wrong reservoir edge or is later interrupted by fit-out. The design intent has to survive from calculation to operations.

This article concentrates on coordination, not on replacing smoke-control calculations. It helps architects, MEP teams, fire engineers and operators ask the right questions about curtain location, extract, make-up air, controls and later building changes.

Draw the reservoir as a three-dimensional system

A reflected ceiling plan alone rarely explains atrium smoke control. The team needs sections showing the reservoir edge, curtain depth, soffits, balcony edges, roof form, extract points and intended clear layer. The purpose of a smoke curtain is to help limit lateral spread within the engineered arrangement; it is not an isolated device that extracts smoke by itself.

Bring the curtain geometry back to the approved design assumptions. A lower curtain depth, a gap at a return, a sign at the drop line or an extract grille positioned on the wrong side can change the intended flow. Any such change should be referred back through the design process instead of being accepted as a site convenience.

Coordinate air paths and occupants at the same workshop

Extract and replacement air need to be discussed with the same drawings as the curtain. Show where air enters, where smoke is expected to collect, what prevents unwanted spill and which escape routes must remain tenable for the assumed period. Curtain locations must also be reviewed against escalators, bridges, glazing, signage, lighting and any zone where movement could affect occupants.

The control narrative should distinguish smoke zoning from fire-resisting compartmentation. A fixed or deployable smoke barrier, a fire curtain and a smoke-control fan can all appear in one atrium, but each has a different primary function and evidence route. The location schedule should state that function plainly.

Make tenant change control part of the operating model

Atriums change after handover. Kiosks, display screens, decorative bulkheads, banners, sprinkler alterations and new services can obstruct a drop path or reshape a reservoir. Protect the relevant ceiling zones in the fit-out approval process, give facility teams a clear drawing reference and require technical review before work enters those zones.

Scenario-based acceptance testing provides a baseline. Initiate the defined alarm zone, observe barrier position, fan and damper actions, replacement-air path and status feedback, then keep a record for future comparisons. Re-test representative scenarios after material changes. This creates an operational control rather than relying on memory of the original construction.

Keep the Decision Trail Intact

Record assumptions, drawings, evidence comments, interface owners and test outcomes against the relevant opening or smoke zone. This makes later design changes visible and prevents a supplier quotation, a coordination sketch or an isolated test from being mistaken for approval of the whole life-safety strategy. Escalate an unresolved requirement to the appointed design and authority process before installation fixes the detail in place. At handover, give the operator a concise register that identifies the location, intended function, control reference, accessible records and the route for reporting a defect or future change. Make the register part of the project close-out review so every open item has an owner, due date and stated verification method.

The Atrium Information a Curtain Review Needs

Share the fire strategy extract, smoke-control drawings and sections, reservoir and extract locations, curtain line and depth, cause-and-effect, ceiling services, fit-out constraints, required evidence and commissioning plan. Identify the responsible reviewer for changes after handover.

Freeze the Reservoir Edge Before the Ceiling Package

Coordinate every barrier edge, extract point, replacement-air path and service interface on common drawings. Then review the appropriate smoke curtain system, related curtain applications and project support.

Project-Team Checklist

• Show reservoir edges and curtain depth on sections, not just plans.
• Coordinate extract and make-up air with the curtain location.
• Check drop lines against bridges, signage, services and occupants.
• State whether each barrier is smoke control or fire separation.
• Document alarm, power-loss and status-feedback behaviour.
• Retain scenario-test records and review fit-out changes before approval.

Common Coordination Mistakes

Using a ceiling plan as the only coordination document

The essential height relationships are hidden without sections and elevations.

Assuming a curtain replaces extract design

The curtain supports the engineered reservoir; it does not determine extraction or replacement-air requirements on its own.

Ignoring later fit-out

Atrium changes can compromise the original reservoir or drop line unless the operating team controls them.

Official References and Currency Note

Use these references to check the currently adopted requirements and the exact scope of product evidence; they do not replace the approved fire strategy.

• BSI — BS EN 12101-1 smoke barriers
• NFPA 92 — Smoke Control Systems

This is general technical guidance, not a project-specific compliance decision. The authority having jurisdiction, appointed fire engineer, approved strategy and valid product evidence govern the final design.

Frequently Asked Questions