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exiting INTO large courtyard?

C

ccollings

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Sep 4, 2020
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103
Location
Cleveland
I'm working on an existing large high school project that has a large open courtyard. this is actually 2 separate schools and currently there are 2 separate buildings. Part of the new plan is to create unified entry points for the schools which will enclose the courtyard. Typically when you enclose a courtyard you have the exit doors swing into the building for egressing from the courtyard. currently there are several doors that egress out into the courtyard. In this case if we reverse the swing, I'm concerned about eliminating an existing egress path and creating essentially dead end situations. The courtyard is roughly 200'x200'. My thinking right now is that we need to preserve the existing egress paths and that the courtyard is large enough that there is a natural safe zone in the center. with the size of the courtyard is you maintain 60' from all sides that is still roughly 80'x80' in the center. The building is bordered on 3 sides by very busy streets so it can also be argued that using the courtyard for egress is safer for the students. I will be discussing this with the plans examiner but i wanted to do my homework and get some other opinions before having that conversation. I should also say that the existing buildings are not sprinklered and that is not part of the scope for the new project.


1707847950704.png
 
Are the buildings isolated with Firewalls? Would that alter anyone's perspective?
Personally, I don't see the courtyard as being "outdoors" enough.
 
steveray said:
Thats a bad idea....Not sure how you are going to add on to those buildings and not sprinkler.....You may not need to provide egress to the public way, but putting a bunch of kids inside a burning doughnut I would fight tooth and nail....
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I don't disagree. the issue that i'm struggling with is a bank of 5 double doors in the center of the building to the left. this is a primary means of egress from a 1000+ seat auditorium. The other doors that egress into the courtyard, I believe, can be flipped without adversely effecting the paths of egress. It is the desire of the school to create the new combined entry points. I don't know the details, but there was a shooting at the school several years ago so the primary function of the new entrances is to provide a safe, secure & accessible entrance.

1707860092185.png
 
Inspector Gadget said:
Are the buildings isolated with Firewalls? Would that alter anyone's perspective?
Personally, I don't see the courtyard as being "outdoors" enough.
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the 2 building are separated with firewalls although they are not compliant by todays code. we will be addressing that.
 
No way would I allow a completely enclosed courtyard with no compliant means of egress to be considered a "safe" area of refuge for anyone in a building of this size, and certainly not for students in a school.

A courtyard, to my understanding, is either an egress court (which is a defined term, and which requires compliant means of egress), or it's an occupiable space with no roof.

[BE] EGRESS COURT. A court or yard which provides
access to a public way for one or more exits.
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You want to treat the courtyard as essentially an exterior area of refuge. You need to look at IBC section 1028.4:

1028.4 Exit discharge components. Exit discharge components shall be sufficiently open to the exterior so as to minimize the accumulation of smoke and toxic gases.

1028.5 Access to a public way. The exit discharge shall provide a direct and unobstructed access to a public way.

Exception: Where access to a public way cannot be provided, a safe dispersal area shall be provided where all of the following are met:

1. The area shall be of a size to accommodate not less than 5 square feet (0.46 m2) for each person.
2. The area shall be located on the same lot not less than 50 feet (15 240 mm) away from the building requiring egress.
3. The area shall be permanently maintained and identified as a safe dispersal area.
4. The area shall be provided with a safe and unobstructed path of travel from the building.
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I don't think the courtyard shown meets all the requirements.
 
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