Advanced fire protection flips the script for iconic former film studio

Revolutionary Fire Protection Transforms the Legendary Former Film Studio

A shared-use office and retail space at the landmark former home of British Pathé is now being protected by Advanced.

360Fire designed and commissioned a new Advanced fire alarm system with phased evacuation as part of a wider restoration and refurbishment project which will see the creation of a number of workspaces, including private offices, office suites and full floors, alongside social areas and retail units.

Located at 142 Wardour Street, Soho, Film House was once at the heart of London’s ‘film row’. By the late 1940s, it’s estimated that up to 100 film companies occupied the street, including Warner Brothers and 20th Century Fox.

Originally the site of Faraday Electrical Works, the office building was rebuilt in 1929 in the Art Deco style. Over its long history, it has acted as the headquarters for several iconic British businesses, including the Associated-British Pathé film company and later HMV.

Taking design responsibility for the project, 360Fire worked with Mechanical Services Ltd (MSL) who installed four, four-loop Advanced MxPro 5 panels and one repeater panel alongside Hochiki detectors, covering all six tenanted floors of the building.

Selected for their open-protocol nature, the panels are integrated with a voice alarm system allowing for phased evacuation, with lifts operating on a dual signal to the ground or alternative floor, depending on the fire location. An out-of-hours override activated via the panel’s function button cancels the phased evacuation and enables the system to revert to a ‘one out all out’ system with no delays. Further integration with the building’s BMS enables control over sprinklers, door access, lifts, and smoke vents.

The system also makes use of MxPro 5’s stand-out false alarm management capabilities. Available as standard on MxPro 5 panels, AlarmCalm delivers unprecedented control of verification and investigation delays. By dividing sites up into virtual false alarm ‘building areas’ independent of fire zones, much more precise control of false alarm management and reduction strategies can be achieved, that exactly fit the needs of each part of a building. An optional AlarmCalm button allows trained occupants to verify if they believe a local fire signal is a false alarm too – a highly effective way of eliminating unwanted alarms.

Chris Peart, Service & Commissioning Manager at 360Fire, said:

“This was a complex project and MxPro 5 panels were specifically chosen due to their open protocol nature, flexibility and ease of cause-and-effect programming. Advanced is the market leader and without fail represents the best solution for both the installer and the end user.”

Advanced Sales Manager Ken Bullock said:

“I’m delighted Advanced has played a part in giving this iconic building a new lease of life. This project is a great example of the flexibility and functionality afforded by MxPro 5.”

MxPro 5 is the fire industry’s leading multiprotocol fire system solution, approved to EN54 Parts 2, 4 and 13. It offers customers a choice of four detector protocols and a completely open installer network, backed up by free training and support. MxPro 5 panels can be used in single-loop, single-panel format, or easily configured into high-speed networks of up to 200 panels covering huge areas. Ease of installation and configuration, as well as a wide range of peripherals, make MxPro 5 suitable for almost any application.

As a world leader in the development and manufacture of intelligent fire systems, Advanced products are specified in locations around the world, from single-panel installations to large, multi-site networks. The Advanced portfolio includes complete fire detection systems, multiprotocol fire panels, extinguishing control, false alarm management and reduction systems as well as emergency lighting.

Advanced is owned by FTSE 100 company Halma PLC – a global group of life-saving technology companies with a clear purpose to grow a safer, cleaner, healthier future for everyone, every day.