Safety & style from Schüco

Schüco Jansen steel fire doors offer safety and style at Begravia’s well-known Francis Holland School, Sloane Square.

The Old School House at the historic Francis Holland School in Sloane Square, London, has undergone an extensive renovation which includes the addition of glazed steel-framed screens and Schüco Jansen steel fire doors throughout the building.
As part of a transformation that has brought the building into the modern era without sacrificing history or style, the new steel screening and fire doors increase the vital element of safety in the space.
The steel units were specified by the main contractor, Forcia, and fabricated by Park Architectural after designs by IID Architects were agreed.

Simon Tupper, Director at IID Architects, explains: “The objective for this project was to create a new inspirational Sixth Form centre within a former boys’ primary school building, the Old School House, built in the 1850s but more recently used as an office for an architectural practice. This involved the creation of seven new seminar rooms, a common room, a quiet study space, a science laboratory and prep room, a fitness suite, two staff office/meeting rooms and a kitchen/dining area. In its brief, the school stated that it was looking for a ‘modern design which is sympathetic to the heritage of the site and which reflects the vision for creativity and enterprise’.
“Fire doors play a key role in the fire-protection strategy in any building. Primarily, they should allow the building occupants to evacuate safely and rapidly in the event of a fire. However, they should also be able to retain fire and smoke for longer than other types of door. The correct specification of fire doors is vital to the success and safety of the building.”

Fire and smoke are amongst the most serious hazards facing any building. The Schüco Jansen steel fire doors have provided a comprehensive, tested solution for the Old School House. With slender profiles and slim sightlines, the doors bring a modern and stylish finish to the new Sixth Form building and allow natural light to flow through the space.
In addition to the fire doors, bespoke steel-framed Schüco Jansen glazed screens with arched tops enclose some of the rooms without blocking light.

Nic Roccia, Project Manager at Forcia, explains why Schüco Jansen was selected for the project: “Steel is increasingly popular but with traditional steel frames there aren’t any thermal breaks and they don’t achieve the proper fire ratings.
“We’ve used Schüco Jansen on a number of projects because it’s a high-quality, durable product and, more importantly, it is fully tested. This allows us to achieve the look of traditional-style steel windows and doors while achieving the technical performance values required to meet fire regulations.”
Chris Newman, Technical Services Manager at Schüco, offered his insights: “The importance of adequate fire protection in public buildings must always be considered in specific relation to the project to ensure a completely suitable solution.
“Fully tested and approved, these stylish, slimline fire doors deliver both the aesthetic and performance that clients demand and that specifiers are increasingly looking for.”

A comprehensive collection of fittings and accessories enables the specifier to customise the doors to perfectly complement any application. These fittings and accessories include locks, strike plates, electric strikes, door handles and specially developed 3D adjustable screw-on and weld-on hinges.
The whole scheme at Francis Holland School, Sloane Square, comprised a full fit-out, including complete services replacement and high-quality bespoke joinery, all completed within a tight schedule to meet the school calendar. The project was completed in December 2020.

www.schueco.com/uk