Apple Campus Elevator Smoke Protection

Brief:

One of the most critical objectives of Apple‘s new headquarters is to house 12,000 employees in only one building to encourage close cooperation and transparency between different people and departments. For this intention, the circular design plays a vital role in easing internal accessibility to all employees. Following this concept, the interior design is characterized by an open atmosphere with large rooms and no partition walls. Like all other Apple products, every single detail of the new headquarters has been designed carefully to capture founder Steve jobs’ complex vision for space.

Objective:

The signature Main Building consists of four stories above ground and two basement levels with parking areas connected by several elevators. In a fire event, the elevator shafts act as a chimney and cause the smoke to spread throughout the building. For that reason, the IBC requires for all buildings with four or more stories, isolation from the elevator shaft on each floor to prevent the spread of smoke.

Challenge:

Avoid smoke propagation in a six-story elevator shaft with an invisible integration that harmoniously supports the building’s characteristics of a clean design and open atmosphere.

Solution:

Unlike all other possible solutions, only the GX Elevator Smoke Containment Curtains could satisfy Apple’s complex vision. The GX Curtains were mounted entirely invisible in the suspended ceilings.