Seattle University Center for Science & Innovation

The Center for Science and Innovation will feature a new five-story gateway building—equipped with future-focused classrooms, research laboratories, a public maker space, assembly areas, and administrative offices. The center will be a scientific hub on campus where every SU undergraduate will take core science classes. The focus on hands-on, experiential amenities will inspire the exploration of new technologies.

Holmes Fire was engaged to provide smoke control design for the building and worked closely with the design team and authorities having jurisdiction to accommodate its five-story atrium. Conventionally, building codes limit atria to three stories. Through alternate means and methods and performance-based engineering, Holmes Fire designed and obtained approval for an atrium smoke control system that will safely protect occupants in case of a fire. This smoke control system was optimized to solely rely on automatic opening exterior doors for air supply, which eliminated reliance on mechanical ducts while supporting the architectural vision for the interior and exterior facade.

Beautiful wood furniture and stairways will be located at the base of the atrium. The smoke control system was developed based on a worst-case fire scenario involving these key architectural elements. Procedural requirements were developed to allow these items to be located within the atrium.