Fraser Suites

State-of-the-art fire protection for a building of historic importance that meets even the highest standards

The old office building for Hamburg's Tax Authority ("Oberfinanzdirektion" or "OFD") is considered a landmark of the city's past. The former administration building has undergone three years' worth of renovations and now operates as a 5-star hotel. Since September 2019, Fraser Suites Hamburg has been using the building, which is outfitted in the lavish style of the 1920s. The conversion of the building was characterised by high demands in terms of the structural engineering and architectural conservation. However, Hamburg architects MPP were able to adapt the structure to current fire protection regulations. This objective was achieved in close coordination with the monument preservation office, the building inspection department, the fire service, fire prevention experts and solutions providers such as D+H. For that to happen, the property had to be subdivided into individual smoke and fire compartments. Decoupling the stairwells from the hotel corridors was just one of the necessary measures. This was achieved by installing wall elements made of fire-resistant glass as well as smoke and fire doors.

Specialists from D+H Deutschland GmbH provided support to the Implenia Hochbau GmbH planning office in selecting and planning all devices for smoke and heat exhaust ventilation (SHEV). To meet SHEV standards, D+H equipped the stairwell windows with window drives. In total, 38 synchronously controllable chain drives from D+H are used here. Control of these window drives is ensured thanks to 7 D+H smoke vent control panels. An additional D+H smoke vent control panel operates under the roof, controlling the drives of all roof windows. This is what allowed D+H to achieve efficient smoke and heat exhaust ventilation that met even the strict standards of architectural conservation.