Fire Safety in Historical Theatres (Italian-Style)

The research starts from a punctual knowledge of the theatrical typology under many aspects and in-depth analysis: from the recognition of the monumental value and qualification of a historical theater, collective heritage to be preserved for future generations, we’ll investigate environmental, typological, distributive, functional, material and constructive characters in the earliest designing phases and after the adjustment and transformation interventions occurred. The main aim is identifying all the parts that are at risk of fire, the equipment implementation done to lower such a risk, with the purpose of suggesting adequate systems intended to gain a major level of fire protection in a historical theater. In theatres, as for every building, we must guarantee the “primary safety”, human lives safeguard, as well as the “secondary” one, that is to say the protection of the edifice and its intrinsic value. Beginning from the state of the studies and general and specialist documents on theatrical architecture, Italian and supranational, it be investigated the components subjected to a high risk of fire, the safety routes and fast evacuation systems. We compare the fire prevention regulations written during times in various countries, and identifying significant cases of study in order to evaluate the most appropriate actions to gain security and to reduce the risk. By means of tests and fire risk assessment, we characterize the materials used, as well as new ones, to enhance resistance to fire, the possible emergency routes, the static safe places, the existing fire systems implementation, as well as a fast emergency services access. We consider guidelines and protocols to a better design of fire systems in a historical theatre, considering both the safety of people and the building-monument. The scientific goal that aimed this research, is applying a multidisciplinary approach to recognize the original characters of the historical theatres, certifying a quality that won’t compromise their valorization. The fire systems strengthening design, to protect people and objects from possible fires, must be interpreted in its scientific, cultural and operative valences in order to gain a high fire-protection performance, without renouncing to the monumental aspect, both spatial and material-constructive. In the first chapter; historical outline, changes in the buildings of historical theaters, focusing on fire safety, has been studied and studied. And some of these fires have been described. The second chapter; Italian theater, is devoted to the any aspects of historical theaters. The parts of these buildings that are most exposed to fire risk have been identified and discussed about how fire safety can be improved. The topic of chapter three is fire safety regulations, in this section, the developments and the completion of the rules are mentioned over time. The comparison and Analysis between Performance Based Approach and Prescriptive have been done, and why performance based approach in the case of historical theaters should be 3 adopted. Fourth chapter is talking about fire risk management and the process that must be conducted to manage fire at historic theaters. Chapter Five introduces the frames method, one of the most comprehensive and up-to-date fire risk assessment software. In this section, we have tried to categorize and describe all the issues affecting fire risk. In chapter Six, the last season, two case studies have been evaluated and studied. The Niccolini Theater and The Pergola Theater, both located in the historical district of Florence city. One of the main reasons for choosing these two theaters was having full details of them, and also the authorities of these theaters were already working on their fire safety and had a safety plan. At the end of this chapter we suggest some solution for improving fire safety in historical theaters and reducing the fire risk level.